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Atomic Gumdrops
What does the structure of an ionic atom
look like? Students use gumdrops to
build an atomic model. Students often begin with misconceptions
about atoms.
Materials
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per student pair:
 4 lg red gumdrops
 3 lg green gumdrops
 3 sm blue gumdrops
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 toothpicks
 skewers
(Cut off or file down sharp skewer ends.)
 small sticker dots
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What
To Do
 DIVIDE the class into pairs.
DISTRIBUTE materials to each pair. Students MAKE particle labels
by DRAWING a "+" on three stickers, a "0"
on four stickers, and a "-" on three stickers.
 Students PLACE +'s
on three large green gumdrops (protons), 0's on four large red
gumdrops (neutrons), and -'s on three small blue gumdrops (electrons).
EXPLAIN that "+" means positive charge, "0"
means no charge, and "-" means negative charge.
Students COMBINE protons and
neutrons in one cluster, the nucleus. ASK what charge the nucleus
has by itself (positive) and DISCUSS why.
Students PLACE each electron
on one end of a skewer, and STICK the other end of the skewer
in the nucleus; the atom is complete. ASK what charge the whole
atom has (none) and DISCUSS why.
Students REMOVE one electron
from the atom. ASK what charge the atom would have if one electron
left (-1) and DISCUSS why.
What's Happening?
Find out more about atoms, ions, acids,
and bases.
Challenge. The
above atomic model is that of a Lithium atom. What other atomic
models can you create? Share your results in our pH
Exchange.
Making Water
Molecules: What is the structure of a water molecule?
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