the Physics Education Technology Project
This is a lesson plan developed specifically to accompany the PhET simulation Build An Atom. Created by a PhET "Gold-Star" teacher, the lesson contains a complete student guide in printable pdf format, and pre-lab/post-lab assessments. By following the student guide, learners will be able to create models of stable and unstable atoms, identify elements and their position on the periodic table, and determine if a model depicts a neutral atom or an ion.
The atom builder simulation, which must be open and displayed to complete this activity, is available from PhET at: Build An Atom.
This item is part of a larger collection of simulations developed by the Physics Education Technology project (PhET).
Please note that this resource requires
Java Applet Plug-in.
6-8: 4D/M1a. All matter is made up of atoms, which are far too small to see directly through a microscope.
6-8: 4D/M1b. The atoms of any element are like other atoms of the same element, but are different from the atoms of other elements.
9-12: 4D/H1. Atoms are made of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons. The nucleus is a tiny fraction of the volume of an atom but makes up almost all of its mass. The nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons which have roughly the same mass but differ in that protons are positively charged while neutrons have no electric charge.
9-12: 4D/H2. The number of protons in the nucleus determines what an atom's electron configuration can be and so defines the element. An atom's electron configuration, particularly the outermost electrons, determines how the atom can interact with other atoms. Atoms form bonds to other atoms by transferring or sharing electrons.
9-12: 4D/H3. Although neutrons have little effect on how an atom interacts with other atoms, the number of neutrons does affect the mass and stability of the nucleus. Isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons (and therefore of electrons) but differ in the number of neutrons.
9-12: 4D/H5. Scientists continue to investigate atoms and have discovered even smaller constituents of which neutrons and protons are made.
11. Common Themes
6-8: 11B/M1. Models are often used to think about processes that happen too slowly, too quickly, or on too small a scale to observe directly. They are also used for processes that are too vast, too complex, or too dangerous to study.
6-8: 11B/M4. Simulations are often useful in modeling events and processes.
6-8: 11D/M3. Natural phenomena often involve sizes, durations, and speeds that are extremely small or extremely large. These phenomena may be difficult to appreciate because they involve magnitudes far outside human experience.
%0 Electronic Source %A Loeblein, Trish %D June 18, 2011 %T PhET Teacher Ideas: Build An Atom %I Physics Education Technology Project %V 2013 %N 23 May 2013 %8 June 18, 2011 %9 text/html %U http://phet.colorado.edu/en/contributions/view/3341
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