Name: ___________________
Period: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Build a Molecule PhET Simulation
Learning Goals:
1. Describe the difference between a molecule name and chemical formula.
2. Distinguish between the coefficient and subscript in a chemical formula.
3. Use pictorial representations of molecules to generate chemical formulas.
Toward the top of your simulation screen, there are three tabs:
Choose the first tab:
1. Make a molecule. Any molecule.
a. How do you know you made a molecule? ________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2. Make some more molecules to fill your “collections” on the right-hand side.
(You may need to use the arrows to choose a different
of atoms, or to
.)
a. Write the molecule names of some molecules you made (ex. Water).
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
3. Different models of molecules
Make a molecule of water (H2O).
In the space below, draw a sketch of each type of model of water shown by the simulation.
Basic model (2-D)
3-D Space Filling model
3-D Ball and Stick model
A chemical formula uses numbers and chemical symbols to show
how many atoms of which specific elements are in a certain molecule.
4. Use some of the other molecules you build to fill in this table:
Molecule Name
Model (you choose which kind)
Chemical Formula
O
Example:
Water
H2O
H
H
Choose the second tab:
A coefficient is the full-size number that may be at the front of a chemical formula.
A subscript is the small number that may be after a chemical symbol within a chemical formula.
Fill up Collection 1, and use it to fill in this table:
Draw a model of 4H2
Draw a model of 2CO2
What is the coefficient 4 in 4H2 telling you?
What is the coefficient 2 in 2CO2 telling you?
What is the subscript
What is the subscript
2
in 4H2 telling you?
Draw a model of 2NH3
What is the subscript
2
in 2CO2 telling you?
2
in 2O2 telling you?
Draw a model of 2O2
3
in 2NH3 telling you?
What is the coefficient 2 in 2NH3 telling you?
What is the subscript
What is the coefficient 2 in 2O2 telling you?