[cliverlong]

Hi,

   Does anyone know how the images of space-filling molecules or ions are created?

for example

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Iodate-3D-vdW.png

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Chlorate-3D-vdW.png

with the "highlight shading" to make the circles appear to be 3D spheres with shadows?

Is there particular, standard graphics software to generate such molecular model images?


Thanks

Clive

[ghost]

I think those images are just computer generated "artistic" images to depict what a molecule may look like. They don't seem to be scientifically derived, which leads me to my conclusion in agreement with you that there are software graphics that produce those images.