PhET Simulation: Build An Atom

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published by the Physics Education Technology Project

This simulation is designed to help learners visualize atomic structure, as they drag protons, neutrons, and electrons to construct an atom. As particles are moved into place in the nucleus or the electron orbits, the simulation automatically displays the net charge, mass number, atomic symbol, and name of the element. After practicing with atom-building, users can test their skills against the clock in a game with four levels of increasing difficulty. See Related Materials for a lesson plan and student guide developed by the PhET project specifically for use with Build An Atom.

The atom building simulation, which must be open and displayed to complete this activity, is available from PhET at: Build An Atom.

This lesson is part of PhET (Physics Education Technology Project), a large collection of free interactive simulations for science education.

Please note that this resource requires Java Applet Plug-in.

Editor's Note: This particular atom-building simulation is pedagogically appropriate for adolescent learners with little or no background in physics. It has built-in scaffolds that promote deeper understanding of the atom, while also building a foundation for teaching about isotopes and ions. It can be adapted for students at all ability levels, grades 6-12.

http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Education Practices - Active Learning = Modeling Modern Physics - Atomic Physics = Atomic Models Other Sciences - Chemistry	- High School - Middle School - Lower Undergraduate	- Instructional Material = Activity = Interactive Simulation = Student Guide

Appropriate Courses	Categories	Ratings
- Physical Science - Physics First - Conceptual Physics - Algebra-based Physics - AP Physics	- Activity - New teachers	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Intended Users:: Learner
Educator
General Public
Formats:: application/java
text/html
Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: © 2009 University of Colorado at Boulder
Additional information is available.
Keywords:: atom, atom simulation, atomic structure, ion, isotope, stable element, unstable element
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created July 13, 2011 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:: October 8, 2012 by Caroline Hall
Last Update when Cataloged:: June 18, 2011

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AAAS Benchmark Alignments (2008 Version)

4. The Physical Setting

4D. The Structure of Matter

6-8: 4D/M1a. All matter is made up of atoms, which are far too small to see directly through a microscope.
6-8: 4D/M1b. The atoms of any element are like other atoms of the same element, but are different from the atoms of other elements.
9-12: 4D/H1. Atoms are made of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons. The nucleus is a tiny fraction of the volume of an atom but makes up almost all of its mass. The nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons which have roughly the same mass but differ in that protons are positively charged while neutrons have no electric charge.
9-12: 4D/H2. The number of protons in the nucleus determines what an atom's electron configuration can be and so defines the element. An atom's electron configuration, particularly the outermost electrons, determines how the atom can interact with other atoms. Atoms form bonds to other atoms by transferring or sharing electrons.
9-12: 4D/H5. Scientists continue to investigate atoms and have discovered even smaller constituents of which neutrons and protons are made.

11. Common Themes

11B. Models

6-8: 11B/M1. Models are often used to think about processes that happen too slowly, too quickly, or on too small a scale to observe directly. They are also used for processes that are too vast, too complex, or too dangerous to study.
6-8: 11B/M4. Simulations are often useful in modeling events and processes.

11D. Scale

6-8: 11D/M3. Natural phenomena often involve sizes, durations, and speeds that are extremely small or extremely large. These phenomena may be difficult to appreciate because they involve magnitudes far outside human experience.

This resource is part of 2 Physics Front Topical Units.

Topic: Particles and Interactions and the Standard Model
Unit Title: Matter and Interactions

Drag protons, neutrons, and electrons to construct your own atom! As particles are moved into the nucleus or the electron orbits, the simulation automatically displays mass number, atomic symbol, name of element, and net charge. After practicing, try your skill against the clock in a game with four levels of difficulty.

Link to Unit:

Topic: Particles and Interactions and the Standard Model
Unit Title: The Standard Model

Link to Unit:

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Record Link

<a href="http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=11311">Physics Education Technology Project. PhET Simulation: Build An Atom. Boulder: Physics Education Technology Project, June 18, 2011.</a>

AIP Format

PhET Simulation: Build An Atom (Physics Education Technology Project, Boulder, 2009), WWW Document, (http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom).

AJP/PRST-PER

PhET Simulation: Build An Atom (Physics Education Technology Project, Boulder, 2009), <http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom>.

APA Format

PhET Simulation: Build An Atom. (2011, June 18). Retrieved May 21, 2013, from Physics Education Technology Project: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom

Chicago Format

Physics Education Technology Project. PhET Simulation: Build An Atom. Boulder: Physics Education Technology Project, June 18, 2011. http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom (accessed 21 May 2013).

MLA Format

PhET Simulation: Build An Atom. Boulder: Physics Education Technology Project, 2009. 18 June 2011. 21 May 2013 <http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom>.

BibTeX Export Format

@misc{ Title = {PhET Simulation: Build An Atom}, Publisher = {Physics Education Technology Project}, Volume = {2013}, Number = {21 May 2013}, Month = {June 18, 2011}, Year = {2009} }

Refer Export Format

%T PhET Simulation: Build An Atom
%D June 18, 2011
%I Physics Education Technology Project
%C Boulder
%U http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom
%O application/java

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source
%D June 18, 2011
%T PhET Simulation: Build An Atom
%I Physics Education Technology Project
%V 2013
%N 21 May 2013
%8 June 18, 2011
%9 application/java
%U http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom

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The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

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