Adding motion to molecular simulations can help communicate structural dynamics and emphasize specific interactions. One common need in molecular modeling is showcasing how a group of atoms or residues rotates in 3D space—whether for presenting conformational changes or emphasizing the symmetry of a system.
If you’ve been looking for a straightforward way to rotate a group of particles while keeping your animation centered and focused, SAMSON’s Rotate animation may be the tool you’ve been missing.
Why rotate a group of atoms?
Researchers often struggle with presenting molecular models in a way that feels natural and intuitive to the audience. For example, showing the same structure at different angles manually can be tedious and imprecise. Moreover, static images rarely capture how a molecule “behaves” in 3D space. A simple rotation around the molecular centroid, synchronized between keyframes, immediately makes the visualization more dynamic and interpretable. Scientists preparing figures for papers, students working on molecular presentations, or educators explaining molecular geometry can all benefit from such a controlled transformation.
What the Rotate animation does
The Rotate animation in SAMSON allows users to make a group of particles rotate around its geometric center (centroid). Specifically, the rotation happens around a vector that passes through the centroid and is directed along the Z-axis. That makes it ideal for spinning structures for demonstration purposes without distorting their relative orientation.
How to apply the Rotate animation in SAMSON
- Select the group of atoms or molecules you want to rotate. Use the common selection tools or refer to the selection documentation if you’re unsure how to do this.
- Navigate to the Animation panel found in the Animator workspace. Double-click on the Rotate animation effect to apply it to the selected particles.
- Keyframes will appear in your animation timeline—these define the start and end of the rotation. Simply adjust the position of the keyframes to control the timing.
Tips for improved control
- The rotation behaves predictably because it always occurs around the Z-axis. Consider adjusting your camera view accordingly if you want the rotation to look more dramatic or to emphasize particular molecular features.
- Need different spline behavior between keyframes? Modify the Easing curve for smoother or more abrupt rotations.
- You can move keyframes anytime during the process to refine timing and effects. There’s no need to start from scratch if adjustments are needed late in your workflow.
Compatibility note
Earlier versions of SAMSON used an Animation menu to access these features. This menu has now been consolidated into the Animation panel of the Animator, simplifying access to all animation tools. So if you’ve watched older tutorials that reference the menu—no worries, the functionality is still there, just in a new location.
With a better understanding of the Rotate animation, you can now add clarity and motion to your presentations. It’s a small feature that solves a recurring problem: how to quickly and consistently showcase molecular geometry and motion in 3D.
Learn more from the complete Rotate animation documentation.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.