1. Find the total number of valence electrons for the molecule. 2. Select the appropriate molecular modeling equipment from the provided molecular modeling kit, and assemble them in a way to accurately represent the atoms and electron pairs that the molecule consists of; the sticks will be used to represent single bonds between atoms as well as non-bonding electron pairs; and the springs to represent double and triple bonds.
3. Connect the matter representing spheres using the sticks and/or the springs to assemble the skeleton structure of the molecule. Some molecules can only be represented in one way; others there are many ways to arrange them correctly. 4. Examine the molecule that has been created; use leftover sticks to fill in any leftover holes in the balls. This is done so that all the atoms that are represented by the balls have their octet of electrons
5. The molecular model that has been created should closely correspond to the arrangement of electrons and atoms in the actual molecule, the Lewis dot structures that the molecular models were derived from. Take the model to interpret the molecular geometry of the molecule. Account for any polarity and or double of triple bonds the molecule may contain, and check bonds angels. 6. Re-examine for the possibility of isomer or resonance structure occurring in the given molecules. 7. Create a separate table and record the Lewis structures in efforts to describe the molecular geometry for each molecule; in this form state whether each molecule is polar or not, then draw the Lewis structure for any possible isomers or resonance structures for the molecules.
Conclusion: My hypothesis, “When given a chemical formula, I will be able to show their Lewis-Dot structure and construct their molecular model. When I do this, I will then be able to determine if it is polar, show it’s molecular geometry, bond angles, and if the compound has symmetry or not. When gathering all of this information, I will be able to determine the chemical properties of each molecule.” was correct. The statement that I made was very correct but at the time of the hypothesis I did not imagine the clarity that the models possessed and the knowledge that would come out of a few simple and harmless experiments, such as this. Thus looking back I feel that I could have written a more complex and informative hypothesis.
When asked to classify the outcomes and pieces of the experiment as qualitative or quantitative I came up with this. The quantitative aspects of this lab have a wide range. One of them would be the calculation of the energy series charges and how the calculations reveled the bond angles. The qualitative data for this lab would include the diagrams and the colors that were recorded during part C.
It would be very intriguing if we were to take the molecular models to the 21st century and have developed the molecules on the computer with CG drawn animation of the exact formation of the molecule. This could be followed up with the development of computer hypothesized chemical reactions. The experiment was quite informative of the atomic world and how it works. It also brought about a realization of how much work and chemistry really goes into the everyday viewing of bonding.