Name:_______________________________ Period: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Date:_______________
Marshmallow
Molecules Lab
Materials:
Colored Marshmallows
Toothpicks
Colored Pencils
Procedures:
1. Use the following chart as a guide as you make each molecule model:
Hydrogen: Yellow Marshmallow
Carbon: Pink Marshmallow
Nitrogen: Green Marshmallow
Oxygen: Orange Marshmallow
2. Due to their # of valence electrons each element has a specific # of atoms they can bind to.
Hydrogen atoms can only bind to one other atom, Carbon atoms can bind to 4 different atoms,
Nitrogen atoms can bind up to 3 different atoms, and Oxygen atoms can bind to 2 different
atoms.
3. Construct a model of the indicated molecule using the appropriate colors of marshmallows
and toothpicks. Draw a picture of your model in the box provided and color it.
4. You should only use one toothpick to connect two marshmallows.
Assignment:
1. Water (H2O) # of Hydrogen Atoms_____ # of Oxygen Atoms_____
What organisms require water to live? What does water do for organisms?
2. Methane (CH4) # of Carbon Atoms_____ # of Hydrogen Atoms_____
How do humans use methane? What is it used for?
3. Adrenaline (C9H13NO3) # of Carbon Atoms______ # of Nitrogen Atoms______ # of
Oxygen Atoms______ # of Hydrogen Atoms______
What does adrenaline do in an organism’s body? Why is it useful?
4. Cinnamon (C11H13NO) # of Carbon Atoms______ # of Nitrogen Atoms______ # of
Oxygen Atoms______ # of Hydrogen Atoms______
5. Cytosine (C4H7N3O2) # of Carbon Atoms______ # of Nitrogen Atoms______ # of Oxygen
Atoms______ # of Hydrogen Atoms______
What is cytosine?
6. Caffeine (C8H12N4O3) # of Carbon Atoms______ # of Nitrogen Atoms______ # of
Oxygen Atoms______ # of Hydrogen Atoms______