Bubble Tetrahedron (Kathryn Smith)

Author

Kathryn Smith

NGSS Science & engineering standards
- Developing and Using Models
  - Use a model to predict the relationships between system or between components of a system.
NGSS Cross-cutting concept standards
- Patterns
  - Different patterns may be observed at each of the scales at which a system is studied and can provide evidence for causality in explanations of phenomena.
NGSS Disciplinary core idea standards
- Structure and Properties of Matter
  - The periodic table orders elements horizontally by the number of protons in the atom's nucleus and places those with similar chemical properttes in columns. The repeating patterns of this table reflect patterns of outer electron states.

Prior knowledge & experience:

Students should know, or be reminded of, what a tetrahedron is, a four sided polygon.

Root question:

When dipped into a soapy film inducing liquid, what shape do you think the soap bubbles will take? What shape is the most energetically favorable?

Target response:

Expected: The bubble will fill the triangle edges.

Possible: Tetrahedral shape in the middle.

Common Misconceptions:

Students often don't realize that the VSEPR model

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