The two purposes of the poster are (a) to reinforce the knowledge and perspectives offered in a standard chemistry course and (b) to open the door to the particle physics concepts which explain how atoms function as a whole. It is visually interesting, up to date, and written so that any student can take away insight from the bullet-points listed by each section.

The background of the poster shows the relative sizes of the 1s to 7s-orbitals of group I elements, with a speck-sized nucleus in the lower left corner.

The composition of the nucleons (protons, neutrons) is the central illustration of the chart, with the up- and down-quarks denoted, along with their “colors” and connections through gluon exchange. This is explained clearly in the text.

The text is written at a level that is understandable for first year chemistry or physics students, with highlighted vocabulary to allow students to easily locate familiar terms.

The particles are introduced with their discoverers and dates (both theorized and identified), providing a clear sense that the model of the atom is still being modified as new studies proceed.

The Anatomy of an Atom Poster links chemistry topics presented in an introductory high school class with information from the standard model for particle physics in a clear, understandable way. It is designed to broaden the view of atoms presented in chemistry and show that the complexities of their internal structure offers a new view on the structure of matter. There are many recognizable features within the poster – electrons, protons and neutrons – along with additional details on their behavior, life span, composition and such. Additionally, the forces and exchange particles that hold nuclei together are introduced in a clear manner.

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