Build an Atom

Build an Atom Screenshot
  • Atomic Structure
  • Atoms
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Topics

  • Atomic Structure
  • Atoms

Description

Build an atom out of protons, neutrons, and electrons, and see how the element, charge, and mass change. Then play a game to test your ideas!

Sample Learning Goals

  • Use the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons to draw a model of the atom, identify the element, and determine the mass and charge.
  • Predict how addition or subtraction of a proton, neutron, or electron will change the element, the charge, and the mass.
  • Use the element name, mass, and charge to determine the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
  • Define proton, neutron, electron, atom, and ion.
  • Generate an isotopic symbol for an atom, given the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Version 3.02

Teacher Tips

Download teacher tips PDF Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ).

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Build an Atom - Inquiry-based basics (homework version) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein, Kath Perkins K-5
UG-Intro
HS
MS
Remote
HW
Lab
Biology
Earth Science
Physics
Chemistry
Build an Atom: Introduction A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein, Kathy Perkins HS
MS
Demo
Lab
Remote
Physics
Chemistry
Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro
MC Physics
Using PhET in High School Chemistry- all my activities in pdf A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro
Demo
Lab
HW
Chemistry
Concept Questions for Chemistry using PhET A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
MS
UG-Intro
MC Chemistry
Build an Atom A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Emily Moore, Ariel Paul, Trish Loeblein, Kathy Perkins MS Guided
Lab
HW
Chemistry
Build an Atom - Clicker Questions A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Yuen-ying Carpenter, Robert Parson, Trish Loeblein UG-Intro MC Chemistry
Build an Atom - Guided-Inquiry Activity A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Timothy Herzog, Emily Moore UG-Intro Guided Chemistry
Atomic Addition A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Mary Burr MS Guided
Discuss
Mathematics
Online Quiz for Build An Atom A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Kim Miller HS
MS
Other
CQs
Structure of the Atom A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Jackie Esler MS Lab Physics
Chemistry
What is an atom? A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Shari Dunham HS
UG-Intro
Other Chemistry
Physics
Build an Atom A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. UTeach Middle School PhET Team MS Lab Chemistry
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other Earth Science
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
PhET Sims Aligned to the Chemistry Curriculum This contribution was designed by PhET. Julia Chamberlain HS
UG-Intro
Other Chemistry
Introduction to the Structure of the Atom Liza Basden HS
MS
Lab
Guided
Chemistry
Mapping of PhET and IBDP Physics Jaya Ramchandani HS Other Physics
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer HS
MS
Other Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Estrutura atômica Victor Augusto Bianchetti Rodrigues HS Guided Chemistry
Physics
Build an Atom Barbara Hunt MS Guided Chemistry
Investigating Ions Emily Bones HS Guided Chemistry
Build an Atom WebLab Melissa Venable HS Lab Chemistry
Construim un àtom Bellés, Folch,Font, Montaña, Olivella, Pont, Vilajosana, Rovira, Serra, Torra MS Lab Physics
NGSS Simulation Alignment/Correlation Matthew Huffine UG-Intro
MS
HS
K-5
Other
Demo
Other
Build an Atom, Isotope, & Ion Robin Beavers HS Lab
CQs
HW
원자 만들기 SIM 사용지침서 이화국(Wha Kuk Lee) MS
HS
Lab
Demo
Chemistry
Physics
Chemical Compounds and Subscripts David Streib MS
HS
CQs Chemistry
Build an Ion Inquiry Activity Paul Broberg HS
MS
CQs
Lab
HW
Chemistry
Atom Builder Sarah Stanhope HS
MS
Lab Chemistry
The Peninsula of Nuclear Stability Roberto Marrero HS HW Physics
Chemistry
Constitución básica de un átomo A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Andrés Palomo, Brisa Aguilera y Diana López HS
MS
HW
Guided
Physics
ERAIKI ATOMOA jarduerak Andrés Palomo, Brisa Aguilera eta Diana López. Jaione Eizaguirre-ren itzulpena HS HW
Guided
Chemistry
computeropdracht atoombouw; leren over atoombouw Brechtje Maas MS
HS
Guided
HW
Chemistry
Physics
Bouw van een atoom Julina HS Demo Chemistry
Bienvenue au CFA Bernard Lacour Other Other Chemistry
COSTRUIAMO L'ATOMO DAL MAS NICOLETTA MS Lab
CONSTRUYE UN ATOMO FRANCISCO CRUZ CANTU HS Demo
Lab
HW
Guided
Chemistry
Physics
CONSTRUCCIÓN DE UN ÁTOMO edelfina paez HS Guided Biology
Construcción de átomos Miriam Pujadas HS Guided Chemistry
Construyendo algunos átomos Félix A. Gutiérrez Múzquiz MS Demo Chemistry
Modelos Atomicos Andrés Gualberto Palomo Cuevas HS Guided Physics

Language Download or Run Tips
Albanian All shqip Run now Ndërtimi i një atomi
Amharic All Amharic Run now አቶም ስራ
Arabic All العربية Run now بناء ذرة
Armenian All Armenian Run now Նյութի ատոմային կառուցվածքը
Basque All Euskara Run now Atomoa eraiki
Belarusian All беларускі Run now Стварыць атам
Bosnian All Bosanski Run now Napravi atom
Bulgarian All български Run now Построяване на атом
Chinese (Simplified) All 中文 (中国) Run now 原子模型
Chinese (Traditional) All 中文 (台灣) Run now Build An Atom 建立一個原子
Croatian All hrvatski Run now Napravi atom
Czech All čeština Run now Stavba atomu
Danish All Dansk Run now Byg et atom
Dutch All Nederlands Run now Bouw een atoom
Estonian All Eesti Run now Ehita aatom
Finnish All suomi Run now Atomien rakentaminen
French All français Run now Construire un atome
Galician All Gallegan Run now Constrúe un átomo
Georgian All ქართული Run now ავაწყოთ ატომი
German All Deutsch Run now Bau ein Atom
Greek All Ελληνικά Run now "Κατασκεύασε" ένα άτομο
Hebrew All עברית Run now הרכב אטום
Hungarian All magyar Run now Atomépítés - játékkal
Indonesian All Bahasa Indonesia Run now Buat Atom
Italian All italiano Run now Costruisci un atomo
Japanese All 日本語 Run now 原子を生成
Kannada All Kannada Run now ಪರಮಾಣು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸು
Kazakh All Kazakh Run now атомды құрыңыз
Khmer All Khmer Run now បង្កើត​អាតូម
Korean All 한국어 Run now 원자 만들기
Latvian All Latviešu Run now Atoma veidošana
Macedonian All македонски Run now Направи атом
Maori All Maori Run now Hangaia tētahi Ngota
Marathi All मराठी Run now अणु बनवा
Moldavian All Moldavian Run now Construieste
Mongolian All Монгол (Монгол) Run now Атом Байгуулах
Norwegian Bokmal All Norsk bokmål Run now Bygg et atom
Persian All فارسی Run now اتم بسازید
Polish All polski Run now Budujemy atom
Portuguese All português Run now Constrói um átomo
Portuguese (Brazil) All português (Brasil) Run now Monte um Átomo
Romanian All română Run now Construieste-ti un ATOM
Russian All русский Run now Создать атом
Serbian All Српски Run now Направи атом
Slovak All Slovenčina Run now Stavba atómu
Slovenian All Slovenščina Run now Sestavi atom
Spanish All español Run now Construir un átomo
Spanish (Mexico) All español (México) Run now Construir un átomo
Spanish (Peru) All español (Perú) Run now Crear un Átomo
Spanish (Spain) All español (España) Run now Construir un áyomo
Swedish All svenska Run now Bygg en atom
Thai All ไทย Run now สร้างอะตอม
Turkish All Türkçe Run now Atom üretme
Turkmen All Turkmen Run now Atomy ýygna
Ukrainian All українська Run now Побудувати атом
Uzbek All Uzbek Run now Build an Atom
Vietnamese All Tiếng Việt Run now Tạo dựng một nguyên tử
Welsh All Welsh Run now Adeiladu Atom

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Microsoft Windows
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Latest version of Java
OS X 10.9.5 or later
Latest version of Java
Latest version of Java

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Kelly Lancaster (lead)
  • John Blanco (developer)
  • Sam Reid (developer)
  • Jack Barbera
  • Suzanne Brahmia
  • Patricia Loeblein
  • Robert Parson
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Piccolo2D