Name ____________________________________ Date ____________________ Period _____
Modeling Atoms!
Purpose: An atom is made up of small particles called protons, neutron, and electrons, which
are arranged in a predictable pattern.
Background: Atoms make up everything that you see, touch, smell, and eat. Atoms are so
small that you can’t see a single one. It takes millions and millions of atoms to form a single
crystal of salt that comes out of your salt shaker. Each type of atoms is called an element. All
elements are represented on a special chart called the periodic table. In this investigation, you
will model the atom to learn the parts of an atom and what makes the atoms of one element
different from the atoms of another element.
What is an atom?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Fill in this chart:
Particle:
Proton
Neutron
Electron
Location
Charge
AMU
The Atom Building Game represents a model of an atom. The center of the board represents the
nucleus of an atom. The outer rings around the center represent energy levels. Three colors of
marbles come with the game. The marbles represent the three kinds of subatomic particles in the
atom. The red marbles represent protons. The blue marbles represent neutrons. Protons and
neutrons always go in the nucleus of an atom. The yellow marbles represent electrons.
Electrons always go in the energy levels.
Protons and electrons have charges. A charge can be positive or negative. Each proton has a
positive charge of +1. Each electron has a negative charge of -1. Neutrons have no charge and
are “neutral.”
Most atoms are neutral in nature. This means that the number of protons and electrons will be
the same, so that the charges “balance out.” The number of neutrons can vary. These are called
isotopes of each other (the same element, but different numbers of neutrons). We will do more
on isotopes later.
Procedure:
Hydrogen (H):
a. Place 1 proton (red marble) in the center of the board.
b. Place 1 electron (yellow marble) in the lower/inner energy level.
Congratulations! You just made a model of hydrogen. Now draw a diagram of this model on
your sheet of paper. Label your diagram. Include the number of protons, neutrons, and
electrons. Finally, include the total mass (number of protons and neutrons).
Std 3a
1
Example:
Hydrogen (H)
Protons: 1
Neutrons: 0
Electrons: 1
Total Mass: 1 amu
Helium (He):
a. Place 1 more proton in the center of the board.
b. Place 1 more electron in the lower/inner energy level.
c. Helium has 2 neutrons, so we will add 2 neutrons (blue marbles) to the center of the board.
Good! Draw a diagram of this model of helium on your paper underneath hydrogen. Don’t
forget to label and include the number of protons, neutrons, electrons, and total mass.
Helium (He)
Protons: 2
Neutrons: 2
Electrons: 2
Total Mass: 4 amu
Now continue this process, building bigger atoms as you go. On the next type of atom, lithium,
because the inner energy level is filled, the next electron will need to go into the next higher
energy level.
Lithium (Li)
Protons: 3
Neutrons: 4
Electrons: 3
Nitrogen (N)
Protons: 7
Neutrons: 8
Electrons: 7
Sodium (Na)
Protons: 11
Neutrons: 12
Electrons: 11
Phosphorus (P)
Protons: 15
Neutrons: 16
Electrons: 15
Beryllium (Be)
Protons 4
Neutrons: 5
Electrons: 4
Oxygen (O)
Protons: 8
Neutrons: 8
Electrons: 8
Magnesium (Mg)
Protons: 12
Neutrons: 12
Electrons: 12
Sulfur (S)
Protons: 16
Neutrons: 16
Electrons: 16
Boron (B)
Protons: 5
Neutrons: 6
Electrons: 5
Fluorine (F)
Protons: 9
Neutrons: 10
Electrons: 9
Aluminum (Al)
Protons: 13
Neutrons: 14
Electrons: 13
Chlorine (Cl)
Protons: 17
Neutrons: 19
Electrons: 17
Carbon (C)
Protons: 6
Neutrons: 6
Electrons: 6
Neon (Ne)
Protons: 10
Neutrons: 10
Electrons: 10
Silicon (Si)
Protons: 14
Neutrons: 14
Electrons: 14
Argon (Ar)
Protons: 18
Neutrons: 22
Electrons: 18
If you have time, continue to model additional atoms. What is the biggest atom you can model?
For credit, be sure to label each atom.
Std 3a
2