Chemical Education Today

Book & Media Reviews

this, but FX Chem is not that software. It is simply a good

FX Chem 2 equation writing tool.
Efofex Software: P.O. Box 7, Waroona, WA 6215, Australia. The program can figure out complex charges and
Individual license in Australia: $77 (Australian), $42 (U.S.); parentheses. For example, typing
individual license outside Australia: $70 (Australian), $38
8h3o+(aq)+mno4-(aq) + 5fe2+(aq)=>
(U.S.).
5fe3+(aq) + mn2+(aq) + 12h2o(l)
Reviewed by Roy W. Clark does not confuse it at all. This yields

8H3O+(aq) +MnO4-- (aq) + 5Fe 2+(aq) 5Fe 3+(aq) + Mn2+(aq) + 12H2O(l )

If you write chemistry using Word, WordPerfect, or
WordPro, and need to write chemical equations, then you and, similarly,
should consider FX Chem version 2. This small software add-
cn- + fe(cn)63-=>cno- + fe(cn)64-
in for word processors is a major improvement over the pre-
vious version (FX Chem 1) that I have used for many years. yields
It will empower you to easily write most chemical equations
CN-- + F e(CN)63-- CNO-- + Fe( CN)64--
with arrows, double arrows, catalysts, conditions, physical
state designations, and even nuclear notation. The only limi- With version 2 nuclear equations are not a problem.
tation is that it cannot draw organic structures, but that is For example
too much to expect for a small and unobtrusive add-in like
this. {7,14}n + {2,4}he=>{9,18}f=>{8,17}o + {1,1}h
The best way to tell you about this software is to show will yield
how it is done and to insert some equations into this text.
Suppose you are writing a chemistry test and wish to write 7
14
N + 24He 9
F
18
8
O + 11H
17

the equation that represents magnesium oxide solid react-

ing with aqueous HCl to form aqueous magnesium chlo-
ride with the help of a catalyst. Here is what you would do:
1. Click on the little molecule symbol that is created by
this add-in on the right end of the normal toolbar (in
Word). Instantly a small box appears at the cursor po-
sition.
2. Type, without capitalization:
mgo(s) + hcl(aq)=“catalyst”>mgcl2(aq) + h2o(l)
3. Click outside the box. That’s all. You are done.
What appears in your document is
catal yst
MgO(s ) + HCl(aq) Mg Cl 2(aq) + H2O(l)
Please notice that I did not capitalize anything. FX Chem
does all that for you. The = followed by the > creates the
arrow, and the text in quotes is placed above the arrow. It’s
difficult at first use not to capitalize letters, but there is a
reason for using only lowercase and letting the program cor-
rect it. There are a few cases where the program does not
know what you want. For example is co to be CO or Co? In
these cases the program assumes CO, but if you want Co
simply capitalize the C and the program becomes aware that
you want Co, not CO. Nickel is a similar case, as is silicon.
If you wished to type the balanced equation you would
type the coefficients. FX Chem can tell by the location of
the numbers relative to the symbols which are to be coeffi-
cients and which are to be subscripts. Incidentally, FX Chem
does not balance equations. There does exist software to do
and, because of the preceding nuclear braces, typing p for
hydrogen will not be interpreted as phosphorus, but as a pro-
ton.
7
N + 24He
14
9
18
F 8
17
O + 11p
Notice that, in this second version, I thought the arrows should
be shorter. Adjusting the font size can control whether arrows
are to be single or double pronged, and many other features.
However, I was unable to draw a single backwards arrow.
I am not aware of other software that does quite the
same job as this does. There is a program for formulas called
Character Map, by SV-Software Ltd.1 that creates a new font
page, including arrows and some useful characters not on the
symbols character map. But this does not come close to the
convenience of FX Chem.
A trial version of FX Chem can be downloaded from
http://www.efofex.com (accessed Oct 2002). A current price
list is also available at this site.
Notes
1. Character Map is available from the author, Vladimir
Bazeltsev, voljpost@vlz.ru.
Roy W. Clark is in the Chemistry Department, Middle
Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132;
royclark@bellsouth.net.

JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu • Vol. 79 No. 12 December 2002 • Journal of Chemical Education 1421