Getting around OpenArc Models

Opening and moving a model

Drag to rotate, scroll or pinch to zoom, and right-drag (two-finger drag on touch screens) to pan. Click a part to select it, or use the Parts tab — it is fully keyboard accessible with the arrow keys.

Tools on the 3D stage

• Core / Detailed / Complete — how many parts are shown (keys 1, 2, 3).
• Labels (L), Cross-section (X), Explode (E), Camera views (V), Reset (R).
• Teach mode (P) fills the screen and turns the guided tour into large captions. Use ← → to step.
• Press ? on any model for the full shortcut list.

Profiles

You can explore without signing in. Create a profile to keep progress under your name. Profiles on this device stay in your browser; if the site has cloud accounts enabled, an OpenArc Models account syncs across devices. Use Settings → Backup to move a device profile elsewhere.

System requirements

A current version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari with WebGL 2. On older laptops choose Settings → 3D quality → Battery saver.

Daily Rebuild

Each day there’s one model to rebuild against the clock, followed by three questions. Copy your result to challenge a friend. One missed day a week won’t break your streak. Results stay in your browser.

Break It

On models that have it, choose a part to remove or jam, predict what happens, then watch it fail and find out why. Press B on a model, or see every model that has it on the Break It page. Failures are simplified to show the main idea.

Quick Review

When you answer a quiz, its questions go onto a schedule. They come back after a day, then a few days, then a week and longer, and anything you miss comes back tomorrow. Open Quick Review when questions are ready. The schedule stays in your browser.

Side by Side

Compare any two models next to each other. Controls apply to both, and “Turn together” rotates them as one. Some pairs come with a written explanation of the key difference.

Lab Challenges

Many models have a goal to hit with the slider, in the Lab tab. Experiment, check your answer, and find out why.

Ask a question

The search box understands everyday questions like “why do planes stay up?”. It matches them against questions we’ve written by hand, so it’s not an AI and may not know yours. Try fewer words if it finds nothing.

Tap to define and read aloud

Words with a dotted underline in a lesson show a plain meaning when you tap them. The speaker button, or N during a tour, reads aloud with your device’s voice. Voices and quality depend on your device.

Sound

On models that have it, press M or open More. These are simple sounds made up in your browser, not recordings, and they follow the slider. Models such as cells have none.

True Scale, Follow the Energy, Connection Map and Spot It

True Scale shows how big things really are. Follow the Energy traces energy through several models. The Connection Map shows which ideas link models. Spot It has small missions for finding science around you: looking is enough, so don’t open or touch anything to find them.

Save for offline

On any model, open More and choose Save for offline. That model then opens with no connection on this device. Pages you haven’t saved need a connection. Saved models are listed in Settings, where you can remove them. Clearing your browser’s data also removes them.

See it on your desk

On phones that support it, More offers augmented reality. The model is still, not animated, and your phone’s own viewer handles the camera.

Reading comfort

Settings has larger text, wider spacing and an easier-to-read font.

For teachers: assignments and embedding

Make an assignment by picking models and questions, then share the link. Students get a code showing their score. Codes suit low-stakes check-ins, because a determined student could fake one. To show a model on your own site, open More and choose Embed on your site; the model stays on OpenArc Models and keeps its name and link, as the terms explain.

See everything

The Guide lists every feature, how to find it, and which ones you’ve tried.

Report a problem or a scientific error

We take accuracy seriously. Please tell us the model, the part or section, and what you believe is wrong — a contact email will be listed here soon.