Understanding Chemical Bonding
This is a short activity to introduce you to the concept of chemical bonding. In this activity, you will take the number of your birth month as your atomic number. Using this information, you will be able to determine the configuration of your electrons. You will then be able to determine how this atom will interact with other atoms, if at all. You will form “bonds” with your siblings (or friends) to make ions or molecules.
Questions:
1. What is the number of your birth month? (i.e., January = 1, February = 2, etc.) This is your atomic number.
2. Draw your appearance as an atom. Around the nucleus, put the correct number of electrons in their correct valence shells.
3. What type of bond would you like to form to become stable?
4. Use one or more of your siblings (friends) to bond with in order to become stable. Draw the ion or molecule that you all formed.
5. Explain why you are stable in this configuration.
Ok...my birthday is in March, so my atomic number = 3.
I know I have:
3 protons
3 electrons
4 neutrons
So, I am not sure how to draw all of this. Don’t the protons and neutrons go inside the nucleus? How do you figure this out?
Also, in order to become stable, doesn't there have to be an equal number of electrons in the outermost shell? Can you pleasssse help me?
So what is your birth month?
2. Draw your appearance as an atom. Around the nucleus, put the correct number of electrons in their correct valence shells.
3. What type of bond would you like to form to become stable?
4. Use one or more of your siblings (friends) to bond with in order to become stable. Draw the ion or molecule that you all formed.
5. Explain why you are stable in this configuration.
Ok...my birthday is in March, so my atomic number = 3.
I know I have:
3 protons
3 electrons
4 neutrons
So, I am not sure how to draw all of this. Don’t the protons and neutrons go inside the nucleus? How do you figure this out?
Also, in order to become stable, doesn't there have to be an equal number of electrons in the outermost shell? Can you pleasssse help me? Or explain it better to me?
So again, use your birth month, that is atomic number, then put that many electrons in shells . for the type of bond, it probably will be ionic, unless your birth month is 12 or 4
Of course! I'll guide you through each step to help you understand and complete the activity.
1. First, let's determine your atomic number. Since your birthday is in March, which is the third month, your atomic number will be 3.
2. You're correct that the protons and neutrons go inside the nucleus. In this case, you have 3 protons and 4 neutrons. So, you can draw a central nucleus with three protons in it, and label it with the symbol of the element you represent (e.g., 'M' for March).
3. Now, let's focus on the electrons and their arrangement. Each electron occupies a specific energy level, known as a shell or orbit. In this activity, we will consider the valence shell, which is the outermost shell that determines an atom's reactivity. The valence shell can hold a maximum of 8 electrons.
Since your atomic number is 3, your atom will have 3 electrons. Start by placing one electron in the first shell closest to the nucleus. Then, place the remaining two electrons in the second shell.
4. To become stable, an atom typically seeks to achieve a full valence shell. In most cases, this means having 8 electrons in the outermost shell. However, since your atom only has 3 electrons, you'll need to form a bond with another atom to complete your valence shell.
Since this is an activity involving siblings or friends, you can choose one of them to bond with. Let's say you choose your sibling. They will represent another atom with their own atomic number. For simplicity, let's assume their atomic number is also 3.
When two atoms with the same atomic number (in this case, both 3) come together to share electrons, they form a covalent bond. This bond allows both atoms to achieve a more stable electron configuration.
Draw the covalent bond by using lines to connect your atom to your sibling's atom. Each line represents a shared pair of electrons. In this case, since both atoms have only 3 electrons, they will share one electron each, resulting in a total of 4 electrons in the outermost shell for both atoms.
5. Your atom becomes stable in this configuration because it now has a complete valence shell with 4 electrons, which is the maximum capacity for its shell. By sharing electrons with your sibling's atom through the covalent bond, both atoms achieve a more balanced and stable electron configuration.
Keep in mind that this activity is a simplified representation of chemical bonding. In reality, atoms can form various types of bonds (ionic, covalent, metallic) depending on their electronegativity and other factors. But for the purpose of this activity, focusing on covalent bonding and achieving stability through shared electrons is a good starting point.
I hope this helps you understand how to complete the activity and the basics of chemical bonding! Let me know if you have any further questions.