Atoms and Ions

Go to the atom model building simulation at: and select the orange “Run in HTML5” button. Use the simulation to complete this worksheet. Make sure to give detailed explanations and accurate drawings. Things to be aware of: Make sure the model is always showing the “orbits” of the electrons and not the “cloud”. If you aren’t seeing something check the “show” box to see if it is selected or not. Before getting started take some time to look around the simulation to see what happens when you select certain things and move certain things around.

Previous Information:

What charge does an electron have? ______

What charge does a proton have? ______

What charge does a neutron have? ______

What is the difference between an ion and a neutral atom? (hint: If you don’t remember you can use the simulation to find out.) ______

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  1. Go ahead and make a model with just one proton. What have you made? ______

How do you know what element it is? ______

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Is it neutral or an ion? ______Positively charged or negatively charged and how do you know? ______

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Make it neutral. What did you have to do? ______

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Is it stable or unstable? ______What makes it stable or unstable? ______

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Change the stability. What did you do? ______

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  1. What is the simplest element you can make with this simulation? Draw a neutral atom and a positive and negative ion of that element and label them below. (labels for all drawings include: name of element, parts of the atom, mass number, ion and charge or neutral, mass number, and stability.
  1. Now make a neutral and stable atom of helium – draw and label it below.

What did you have to do to change it from hydrogen to helium? ______

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What did you have to do to make it neutral? ______

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  1. What element is after helium? ______What is the symbol for it? ______

Where is it on the periodic table? ______

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Draw a stable and unstable isotope of this element below. Explain why the one is stable and the other is not.

What do you think the word isotope means based on how it is used above? ______

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Now find a short definition of the word isotope. ______

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  1. What is the most complex element you can make with this simulation? Draw a neutral atom and a positive and negative ion of that element and label them below.

The rings where we find the electrons are called “energy levels” or “electron shells”. What is the maximum amount of electrons that can fit in the first energy level or shell? ______

What about the second level? ______What do you think the next energy level would hold? Why? ______

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What do you think it takes for an atom to have electrons in the next energy level? ______

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