One challenge molecular modelers regularly face is how to effectively communicate subtle dynamic behaviors in molecular systems. Whether you’re building a scientific presentation or explaining a structural feature to a colleague, static images often fall short. Adding animations can help, but not every modeler has time to script custom animations or learn complex tools.
This is where the Rock animation in SAMSON can be especially useful. It offers a smooth, pendulum-like movement around a molecular system’s centroid, helping to quickly add life and clarity to your models without requiring extensive animation skills.
What Does the Rock Animation Do?
The Rock animation makes a selected group of particles appear to rock back and forth around their center of mass. This motion is oriented along a vector collinear with the Z-axis and passing through the centroid. It’s a simple but surprisingly effective way to catch the viewer’s attention.
This animation is particularly handy when:
- You want to emphasize a substructure or domain that stands out from the rest of a molecule.
- You’re trying to show small conformational adjustments clearly and engagingly.
- You need to create a looping animation for a presentation or teaching material.
How to Add the Rock Animation
To apply this animation in SAMSON:
- Select a group of particles you want to animate.
- Open the Animation panel.
- Double-click on the Rock animation effect.
The selected particles will perform the rock motion between two keyframes. You can reposition these keyframes on the timeline to control the timing of the motion.
Fine-Tuning the Motion
In SAMSON, you can customize the feel of the Rock animation by editing its easing curve – the function used to interpolate movement between keyframes. Access this by selecting the animation and visiting the Properties section. A more linear curve will result in a steady rhythm, while other styles can simulate easing in/out effects to give the animation more personality.
Why It’s Useful for Molecular Communication
Even slight animations can help showcase flexibility or symmetry in molecular structures, especially when modeling protein domains, interacting ligands, or other relevant phenomena. The Rock animation offers a minimalistic, clear way to highlight a portion of a molecule without overwhelming the viewer with motion.
Here’s an example from a molecular presentation:
Want Examples?
You can find practical examples that use the Rock animation in the SAMSON Connect document repository, including this one: 2BRD – Rock animation.
Whether preparing a class, a talk, or simply documenting your molecular insights visually, this lightweight animation can add clarity without complexity.
To learn more about how to use the Rock animation in SAMSON, visit the official documentation page.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at www.samson-connect.net.