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Gumdrops

This document provides instructions for building models of greenhouse gas molecules out of gumdrops and toothpicks. Students will construct models of four common greenhouse gases - ozone (O3), nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) - by combining gumdrops in the colors of the atoms that make up each molecule. The activity is meant to teach students about the composition of greenhouse gases and their role in the atmosphere in a fun, hands-on way.

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Belkhiri Mohammed
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© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
52 views

Gumdrops

This document provides instructions for building models of greenhouse gas molecules out of gumdrops and toothpicks. Students will construct models of four common greenhouse gases - ozone (O3), nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) - by combining gumdrops in the colors of the atoms that make up each molecule. The activity is meant to teach students about the composition of greenhouse gases and their role in the atmosphere in a fun, hands-on way.

Uploaded by

Belkhiri Mohammed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Get your Gummy Greenhouse Gases!

Got gumdrops? Then you can build models of molecules. Molecules are tiny structures
that make up just about all matter—including you! Molecules themselves are made of
atoms, the basic building blocks of matter.

Using just four kinds of atoms as building blocks, you


can construct many different types of molecules. In
this project, you will build models of some gas
molecules. These kinds of gas molecules are part of
the air. They are called greenhouse gases. We will
explain why later.

For now, get ready for some gummy fun!

What you need:

• Gumdrops, any size, four different colors.


These atoms are usually modeled using red for oxygen, white for
hydrogen, gray for carbon, and blue for nitrogen. However, some of these
colors are mighty hard to find in gumdrops. So use any colors you like. Here's
how many you will need of each (but don't forget to get extras for sneaking
into your mouth):
o Red: 13
o White: 7
o Gray (or black): 3
o Blue: 2
• Round wooden toothpicks
• Construction paper, 1 large sheet (12x18, for example)
• Felt pen or crayons

Here are the colors we used for our gumdrop building block atoms:

Oxygen Hydrogen Carbon Nitrogen

Find this activity online and learn more about greenhouse gasses by visiting NASA’s Space Place website: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/gumdrops.
Find more fun activities at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/do.

www.nasa.gov  
               
You will make…

... Gummy Greenhouse Gas models of these gases. Each molecule has a shorthand
name, which also gives its recipe, or formula. For example, ozone is also called O3,
where O stands for an oxygen atom and the little 3 means there are three of them.
Here are all the greenhouse gas molecules, their formulas, and a picture of its
gumdrop model.

Name of Shortcut
Recipe Gumdrop model
greenhouse gas (formula)

Ozone 3 oxygen atoms O3

2 nitrogen atoms and


Nitrous oxide N 2O
1 oxygen atom

1 carbon and
Carbon dioxide CO2
2 oxygen atoms

2 hydrogen atoms and


Water vapor H 2O
1 oxygen atom

1 carbon atom and


Methane CH4
4 hydrogen atoms

Here's how:
• Break several toothpicks in half.
You will need only one-half a
toothpick to make each "bond."
The bonds are how the atoms are
stuck together to make
molecules.
• Build each of the greenhouse gas
molecules, as shown above.
• Now, take the big piece of
construction paper and your
crayons or felt pen and label it
something like this (right):
Find this activity online and learn more about greenhouse gasses by visiting NASA’s Space Place website: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/gumdrops.
Find more fun activities at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/do.

www.nasa.gov  

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