Cart
Article
Use of Pom Pons To Illustrate Cubic Crystal Structures
Hi-Res PDFPurchase the full-text
- PDF/HTML,
figures/images,
references and tables,
(where available)
Abstract
In general chemistry classes, students are introduced to the ways in which atoms are arranged in cubic crystal structures. Transposing the textbook illustrations into three dimensional structures is difficult for some students. This transitions is easier if a three dimensional model is available for examination. Several 3D models are cited. A quick to assemble, inexpensive, colorful, and durable alternative to these models and styrofoam balls is the use of olefin pom pons. Different sized pom pons can be used to demonstrate how the atomic radius will vary when comparing the different types of cubic crystal unit cells. Being made of a coarse material, pom pons can be stacked to illustrate different packing arrangements such as hexagonal close-packed and cubic close-packed structures. Pom pons make great atoms.
Keywords (Audience):
High School / Introductory ChemistryKeywords (Domain):
DemonstrationsKeywords (Feature):
Cost-Effective TeacherKeywords (Subject):
Molecular Properties / StructureCiting Articles
Citation data is made available by participants in CrossRef's Cited-by Linking service. For a more comprehensive list of citations to this article, users are encouraged to perform a search in SciFinder.
This article has been cited by 2 ACS Journal articles (2 most recent appear below).
Crystal Models Made from Clear Plastic Boxes and Their Use in Determining Avogadro's Number
Thomas H. BindelJournal of Chemical Education2002 79 (4), 468Crystal Models Made from Clear Plastic Boxes and Their Use in Determining Avogadro's Number
Thomas H. BindelJournal of Chemical Education2002 79 (4), 468Easy-to-make crystal lattice models constructed from clear plastic boxes or pieces of acrylic plastic are described. The models include body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic, and more difficult to make hexagonal unit cells. They also include some ...
Especially for High School Teachers
J. Emory HowellJournal of Chemical Education2001 78 (9), 1143Especially for High School Teachers
J. Emory HowellJournal of Chemical Education2001 78 (9), 1143Suggestions for improving observational skills among students.
Tools
-
Add to Favorites
-
Download Citation
-
Email a Colleague -
Permalink
Order Reprints
Rights & Permissions
Citation Alerts
SciFinder Links
Explore by:
History
- Received: August 03, 2009
ACS
Network
Facebook
Tweet This
CiteULike
Newsvine
Digg This
Delicious
