Chemistry
Elements, Atoms, and Molecules
Everything in the world is made up of elements. There are about 100 different elements. One piece of an element is called an atom. Atoms usually travel in groups of two or more. Atoms are so small that most of them can not be seen, even under a powerful microscope. Millions of atoms can reside on the sharp tip of a needle.
Atoms are made of three parts, protons, electrons and neutrons. The protons and neutrons stick together in the middle, together they are called the nucleus. The electrons zip around the outside of the nucleus in circles. Protons and neutrons are made of even smaller pieces called quarks. This would be a great time to get the younger kids to act out being a hydrogen atom. Chose someone to be the electron, someone to be the proton and someone to be the neutron. The neutron and the proton people should stand together, forming the nucleus. The electron person can run around the others. You have now made a human atom!
You may be asking yourself," If all atoms are made of electrons, protons and neutrons, how can they make up the different elements"? The answer is in the number of protons, neutrons and electrons contained in the atom itself. This number determines the type of element. A hydrogen atom has one electron, one proton and one neutron. A gold atom has many ore than that.
Atoms usually do not go around all by themselves, instead they are usually grouped together with other atoms. Grouped together they are called molecules.
When two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen are combined, water is formed. When two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen are combined, peroxide is formed. One atom makes all the difference.
This would be a great time to make a edible molecule.
- You will need:
- Large marshmallows
- Small marshmallows
- Pretzel sticks
Use the large marshmallows to represent the oxygen atoms and the small to represent the hydrogen atoms. The pretzels are used to stick them together. Stick a pretzel into a small marshmallow , do the same to another small marshmallow. These are your hydrogen atoms. Now stick a pretzel in to a large marshmallow, this is your oxygen atom. Stick the two hydrogen "atoms" into the oxygen atom (marshmallow). You have now formed a water molecule.
I must note that hydrogen atoms are actually larger than oxygen atoms, but since we are working with marshmallows, we are limited by the nature of the marshmallow itself.
Go To Page: 1
