Name: Anrissa May D.

Amarillento
Subject: Thermodynamics (Laboratory)

3D model of an Atom reflection

According to an article made by Tim Sharp (2019), Atoms are the basic units of matter and
the defining structure of elements. The term "atom" comes from the Greek word for indivisible,
because it was once thought that atoms were the smallest things in the universe and could not be
divided. We now know that atoms are made up of three particles: protons, neutrons and electrons.
Protons are positively charged particles found within atomic nuclei, neutrons are uncharged
particles found within all atomic nuclei and electrons have a negative charge and are electrically
attracted to the positively charged protons.
With the knowledge that comes from previous years of schooling, we have learned that we
cannot see atom with just our own naked eyes and experience it firsthand, all we see is pictures,
diagrams, models and videos about the atom. In order for us to experience what an atom could
look like, scientists made an idea to make model of it, they made it as accurately as possible so
that students will able to understand how certain atoms work.
In the making of this 3D model was very challenging because we can only use recyclable
materials found in our homes and make the model as cheap as possible but still be pleasing to look
at. I tried other ways to form the balls but I ended up making the balls out of wet paper, it was hard
especially in the drying process, it almost got wet when it rained. I blower dried it also to make it
stiff as possible because if I didn’t blow dry them it would actually take a week for them to dry
considering the weather nowadays. It also stressing in the part where you would glue the paper
balls together with hot glue and you touch it while it still hot and sometimes the paper balls just fall
down because I did not put enough hot glue.
My original plan was to make orbitals for the electrons but sadly we don’t have steel wires
and steel wires are really expensive for me, so I have improvised to use barbeque sticks to make it
look like the electrons are surrounding the protons and neutrons. Overall the experience was great
and I am grateful that we are told to upload it on YouTube so that anyone can see the process,
since my videos are in public and my channel is educational, it has a lot of tutorials there and all
those activities that I have made during online classes.