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This Forming a Molecular Bond interactive also includes:
They say two's company, but three's a crowd... unless you're talking about molecular bonding! Chemistry scholars experiment with two- versus three-atom bonding in an engaging simulation. Learners must place the third atom in a location that promotes bond formation between the original two atoms, all while observing changes in the energy of the system.
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Instructional Ideas
- Ask the class to explain why they placed the third atom where they did, then describe the outcome once the simulation has run
- Challenge students to a race! Award small prizes to the first three that cause bonding to occur in their simulations
Classroom Considerations
- Turn on the legend before running the interactive to differentiate between the kinetic energy of the bonding atoms and the non-bonding atom
Pros
- Interactive guides pupils in appropriate placement of the third atom, rejecting any placement that would not occur naturally
- The slow motion feature allows users to more closely observe changes in energy as the atoms interact
Cons
- None