In molecular modeling, communicating structure is only part of the story. Dynamic behavior—like vibrations, flexibility, and motion—often plays a central role in understanding biological function, drug binding mechanisms, or material properties. However, unless you build your animations carefully, your structures may appear unnaturally rigid, even when they are supposed to be flexible. This is where the Rock animation in SAMSON becomes useful.
The Rock animation enables a group of atoms or particles to rock gently around their geometric center. More precisely, the motion occurs around a vector that is fixed along the Z-axis and passes through the group’s centroid. Think of this as a subtle back-and-forth sway—something that can breathe life into molecular structures that might otherwise seem frozen in space.
Why Add Motion?
Scientists and educators often struggle to show macromolecular flexibility in presentations or teaching materials. Traditional animations frequently rely on actual simulation trajectories, which can be large, noisy, or unavailable. In contrast, procedural animation effects like Rock offer a lightweight way to hint at mobility, enhance storytelling, and hold viewers’ attention during a presentation.
How to Use It Inside SAMSON
To apply the Rock animation in SAMSON:
- Select a group of particles that you want to animate.
- Open the Animation panel via the Animator.
- Double-click on the Rock effect. It will be added between two keyframes.
You can reposition the keyframes if needed—the motion is interpolated between them. By default, the rocking direction is aligned with the Z-axis, which usually works well for simple presentations. To further customize the effect, try adjusting the easing curve to control the animation’s acceleration characteristics.
Use Cases
Here are just a few examples where Rock might communicate vital molecular details:
- Indicating local flexibility in a loop region of a protein.
- Highlighting subtle active-site motion in an enzyme.
- Bringing focus to one molecule in a large assembly by animating it gently.
Example Presentation
Explore the following example where the Rock animation brings an actual structure to life:
This small, simple effect can have a surprisingly strong impact—animating subtle movement that helps guide the viewer’s attention without distracting from the scientific content. When layered thoughtfully with other animations like Rotate or Hold, it becomes a versatile storytelling tool.
To learn more about the Rock animation and how to use it in your molecular presentations, visit the official documentation page.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.