December

DUE DECEMBER 9

In this assignment, you will use the Build an Atom Simulation to explore the structure and properties of atoms. You'll manipulate protons, neutrons, and electrons to observe how these changes affect the identity, charge, and mass of an atom or ion. Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Pre-Lab:

   • Start by constructing an atom with specific components (e.g., 3 protons, 4 neutrons, 3 electrons).

   • Predict the element, mass, and charge of the atom.

2. Learning Objectives:

   • Draw models of atoms and ions.

   • Identify elements based on the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

   • Predict how changes in subatomic particles affect an atom’s properties (element type, charge, and mass).

3. Activity:

   • Explore the simulation to build atoms with stable nuclei and record your findings.

   • Test how adding or removing protons, neutrons, and electrons affects an atom’s identity, mass, and charge.

   • Use the periodic table to determine the properties of different elements.

4. Key Concepts to Explore:

   • What determines the identity of an element?

   • How can you make an atom neutral, positively charged (+ion), or negatively charged (-ion)?

   • Which particles contribute to the mass of an atom, and how can the mass change?

5. Challenges:

   • Design specific atoms or ions, such as a positive ion with a charge of +2 or a neutral atom with a given mass.

   • Verify your rules and understanding of atomic structure by testing different configurations.

6. Post-Lab:

   • Revisit your initial predictions about the atom you built.

   • Reflect on how changes to the atom’s particles affect its properties and validate your learning through explanation.

This activity will help you understand the building blocks of matter and how they come together to form the elements around us!