The purpose of this lab is to predict the molecular and ionic geometries of the species listed using Lewis dot structures, and find if the molecule has resonance structures.

Authors Avatar

Molecular Bonding Lab

  1. Purpose:

The purpose of this lab is to predict the molecular and ionic geometries of the species listed using Lewis dot structures, and find if the molecule has resonance structures.

 

Variables:

➔Dependent Variable:

The dependant variables in the lab are the Lewis Dot structures for the compounds.

➔Controlled Variables:

The controlled variable in the lab is the formula for the compounds.

➔Independent Variable:

The independent variable in the lab is the molecular structure.

  1. 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.

  1. Materials:
  1. Lab
  2. Textbook Chemistry
  3. Molecular model kits
  1. Wooden balls
  2. Wooden sticks
  3. Metal springs
  1. Minerals (unknowns)
  1. Pyrite (cube)
  2. Fluorite
  3. Dolomite
  4. Pyrite (pyritohedron)
  5. Zircon
  6. Aragonite
  7. Quartz
  8. Orthoclase
  9. Calcite

  1. Procedure:

Part A.  Wooden Ball Molecular Models

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.

Join now!

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 ...

This is a preview of the whole essay