KC expert — a knowledge-based tool for chemists

Abstract

KC Expert is a system, written in Prolog, which is an aid to solving chemical and physical problems related to the properties of the atomic elements. It consists of a limited domain natural language interface, based on a semantic grammar, to a knowledge base of the atomic elements. The knowledge base contains a data base of properties of the elements and several rules using these properties. The system can be used both in research and for instructional purposes. In this paper we discuss the development of the system, its capabilities, and planned enhancements. The executable program is included as is the Prolog source code.