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Workout: Energy at the sub-molecular level

Page history last edited by Joe Redish 6 years, 2 months ago

 

Read the web page: Energy at the sub-molecular level. Go to the PhET simulation Atomic Interactions to perform a few tasks.

 

A. The Hydrogen Molecule, H2

 

Toggle “Adjustable Interaction”. Shift “Atom Diameter (σ)” to Small, and “Interaction Strength (ε)” three-quarters of the distance from the Weak setting to the Strong setting. Set the “Simulation Speed” to Fast. These settings models two interacting hydrogen atoms.

 

1. Separate the “moving atom” half way up the potential energy curve. Release and observe the behavior of the moving atom with respect to the “pinned atom”. What do you see?

 

2. Move the “moving atom” closer to the “pinned atom”.  What happens to the potential energy of the H2 molecule?

 

3. From a high potential energy position of the molecule, release the “moving atom”.  What happens?

 

4. Drag the “moving atom” to the right, increasing the distance between the atoms.  What happens?

 

5. Many molecular model systems use perforated Styrofoam, wooden, or plastic balls to represent atoms and wooden sticks to connect the atom models.  Based on your observation on the simulation, rather than describing a chemical bond as rigid as a wooden stick, interacting atoms behave as:...?

 

6. Based on the behavior of the interacting atoms, how would you define “bond length”?

 

7. How would you define “bond energy”?

 

 

B. The argon-argon interaction.

 

1. Toggle the argon-argon “pinned atom/moving atom” combination.

 

2. What happens when you attempt to move the “moving atom” of argon toward the “pinned atom” of argon?

 

3. What can you infer about the strength of the argon-argon interaction?

 

 

Dave Buehrle Fall, 2016

 

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