Atom Story
Submitted by:
Beth Heinze
North Jefferson Intermediate School
(573) 677-3577
E-mail: landofrogs@aol.com
Materials Needed: pencil
Subject Area: Science
Grade Level: Upper Elementary (6)
Show Me Standard: SC 1 SC 2
GOAL 1.2
Time Allowance: One class period
Description:
Pre-requisites: Knowledge of how an atom masher works, early atomic theories, and
parts of an atom.
What is an Atom Smasher?
First, what is an atom? Strangely enough, science still does not have the complete answer
to this question. What is known about atoms is constantly changing. In fact, atomsmashing machines are providing new information about the atom all the time.
At one time, an atom was thought to be the tiniest possible particle of matter. Now we
know that an atom consists of even smaller particles-there are more than 20 different
particles in the core of the atom. Basically, we might say that the atom consists of a
heavy central core (the nucleus) and its related electrons. The basic particles in the
nucleus are known as protons and neutrons, and surrounding the nucleus are electrons.
When the structure of the atom is disturbed, some very curious things may happen.
Energy may be given off, or the atoms may turn into other elements. When it was
discovered that this could happen, the age of atom smashing began. For example, when
protons were speeded up and driven into certain atoms the atoms were broken or
smashed.
Soon the search was on for new atomic "bullets". When deutrons (the nucleus of an atom
of a substance called deuterium) were fired into atoms, new kinds of changes took place
in the elements. A particle of the original atom might be "knocked out" and the atom
would become an atom of an entirely different element. Also, great amounts of energy
might be released.
Machines were soon developed to shatter atoms. One machine developed is called a
"cyclotron." It uses a powerful electromagnet to make high speed protons or deutrons
move around and around in a spiral path. Now there are even stronger machines for
hurling particles into the nucleus of the atom called "betatrons" and "synchrotrons."
These machines enable particles to break into the nucleus of the atom with greater force
and accuracy.
Selection taken from book entitled How'd They Do That?
Atom the Good Guy & Atom the Bad Guy
This is a story about a boy named Atom. One day he was
playing with his three subatomic particle friends named
____________, __________, & _______________.
__________ and ______________ lived on Nucleus Street.
___________ lived in an apartment up in the electron
cloud. His apartment was on the fourth ____________
______________.
One day the bully of the neighborhood named Atom
Smasher threatened to separate Atom and his friends
creating a new ______________. Atom Smasher was very
smart. He could even create an __________bomb.
Thankfully, a kid named _____________ was part of this
particle group of friends. He called the police. Policeman
________________ said "Don't worry, Atom, you cannot
be separated from your friends." However, policemen
___________ and ________________ said "Sadly, Atom,
you can be separated from your friends."
The group of friends needed a plan. They decided that they
could bond with other friends in the neighborhood to create
a _____________. Surely Atom Smasher could not stand
up to a bunch of friends chemically bonded together! So
Atom, ______________, Electron, and ______________
called on their friends. Together they scared the bullying
Atom Smasher.
Answers to Atom the Good Guy & Atom the Bad Guy
Blank 1
Electron
Blank 2
Proton
Blank 3
Neutron
Blank 4
Proton
Blank 5
Neutron
Blank 6
Electron
Blank 7
energy
Blank 8
level
Blank 9
element
Blank 10
atomic
Blank 11
Quark
Blank 12
Democritus
Blank 13
Thomson
Blank 14
Rutherford
Blank 15
molecule
Blank 16
Proton
Blank 17
Neutron
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