In the classroom activity, the teacher instructs students to utilize various materials to simulate the atom's structure. Protons are represented by baseballs, electrons by marbles, and neutrons by tennis balls. What materials will the students need to build a typical sodium atom with an atomic mass of 23?

Question

GPT-4o mini · Answer

To simulate a sodium atom (Na) with an atomic mass of 23, students need to accurately represent its subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. A typical sodium atom has:

Protons: 11
Neutrons: 12 (since the atomic mass is approximately equal to the sum of protons and neutrons; 23 - 11 = 12)
Electrons: 11 (a neutral atom has the same number of electrons as protons)

Given the materials specified:

Baseballs: Represent protons, so students will need 11 baseballs to represent the 11 protons.
Tennis balls: Represent neutrons, so students will need 12 tennis balls to represent the 12 neutrons.
Marbles: Represent electrons, so students will need 11 marbles to represent the 11 electrons.

Summary of materials needed to build a sodium atom:

11 baseballs (for protons)
12 tennis balls (for neutrons)
11 marbles (for electrons)