Name: Lilyth Lerma Date: 12/16/24
Student Exploration: Polarity and Intermolecular Forces
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and
prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: dipole, dipole-dipole force, dipole-induced dipole force, electronegativity, intermolecular force,
ionic bond, London dispersion force, molecule, nonpolar, nonpolar covalent bond, partial charges, polar, polar
covalent bond, valence electron
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. A big bully is having a tug-of-war with a small child. There is a ball
attached to the middle of the rope.
Toward whom will the ball move?
The bully
2. Two equally strong kids are having a tug-of-war. What do you expect to happen to the ball in this situation?
I expect the ball to stay in the middle because there is the same force between each
sides
Gizmo Warm-up
Just like in a tug-of-war, atoms that are bonded to one another pull on the electrons
they share. In the Polarity and Intermolecular Forces Gizmo, you will explore how
these opposing forces relate to bond types and the forces between molecules.
To begin, drag the Na (sodium) and Cl (chlorine) atoms into the simulation area.
Turn on Show valence electrons. A valence electron is found in the outermost
energy level of the atom.
1. Click Play ( ). What do you notice?
I notice since Na had one electron and Cl has 7 and needed one more, Na bonded with
Cl and Cl pulled it tward Na
2. Which atom seems to be pulling more on the sodium’s one valence electron? How do you know?
Chlorine Na got pulled to Cl because Cl has a higher electronegativity
3. What happens to the colors of the simulated atoms, and what does this indicate?
Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
, Sodium turned blue, meaning the charge is now positive, and Chlorine turned red,
meaning the charge is now negative
Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
● On the BOND POLARITY tab, click Reset ( ).
Bond polarity
● Drag the atoms out of the simulation area.
Introduction: When atoms share electrons, their overall charge can be affected by the average position of the
electrons. Polar bonds form when shared electrons are pulled closer to one atom than another, causing the
bonded atoms to become partially charged. In nonpolar bonds, electrons are shared equally and the atoms
remain neutrally charged.
Question: What causes bonds to be polar or nonpolar?
1. Observe: Select the Show polar molecule inset checkbox. The animation shows the probable location of
electrons (orange dots) in a polar molecule.
A. What do you notice about the I notice they are relatively close to each other
distribution of the electrons?
B. How does this electron distribution The more electrons something has, its more negative
affect the charges of the bonded
atoms?
2. Observe: Turn on the Show nonpolar molecule inset.
A. How are the electrons in this They are evenly distributed
molecule distributed?
B. Why do the bonded atoms remain Because neither atoms attract more electrons
neutral?
3. Experiment: Turn off Show polar molecule inset and Show nonpolar molecule inset. Check that Show
valence electrons is turned on. Drag the Na and Cl atoms into the simulation area. Click Play. Note the
colors. Red indicates a negative charge, while blue indicates a positive charge.
A. What happens to sodium (Na) valence electron?
B. Try several other metal/nonmetal combinations. What do you notice about the bonds that form?
all of the bonds are ionic
In ionic bonds, the nonmetal atom pulls electrons so much more strongly than the metal atom that
electrons are completely transferred to the nonmetal atom. Drag each of these combinations into
the Ionic bond bin on the upper right of the Gizmo.
Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
Student Exploration: Polarity and Intermolecular Forces
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and
prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: dipole, dipole-dipole force, dipole-induced dipole force, electronegativity, intermolecular force,
ionic bond, London dispersion force, molecule, nonpolar, nonpolar covalent bond, partial charges, polar, polar
covalent bond, valence electron
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. A big bully is having a tug-of-war with a small child. There is a ball
attached to the middle of the rope.
Toward whom will the ball move?
The bully
2. Two equally strong kids are having a tug-of-war. What do you expect to happen to the ball in this situation?
I expect the ball to stay in the middle because there is the same force between each
sides
Gizmo Warm-up
Just like in a tug-of-war, atoms that are bonded to one another pull on the electrons
they share. In the Polarity and Intermolecular Forces Gizmo, you will explore how
these opposing forces relate to bond types and the forces between molecules.
To begin, drag the Na (sodium) and Cl (chlorine) atoms into the simulation area.
Turn on Show valence electrons. A valence electron is found in the outermost
energy level of the atom.
1. Click Play ( ). What do you notice?
I notice since Na had one electron and Cl has 7 and needed one more, Na bonded with
Cl and Cl pulled it tward Na
2. Which atom seems to be pulling more on the sodium’s one valence electron? How do you know?
Chlorine Na got pulled to Cl because Cl has a higher electronegativity
3. What happens to the colors of the simulated atoms, and what does this indicate?
Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
, Sodium turned blue, meaning the charge is now positive, and Chlorine turned red,
meaning the charge is now negative
Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
● On the BOND POLARITY tab, click Reset ( ).
Bond polarity
● Drag the atoms out of the simulation area.
Introduction: When atoms share electrons, their overall charge can be affected by the average position of the
electrons. Polar bonds form when shared electrons are pulled closer to one atom than another, causing the
bonded atoms to become partially charged. In nonpolar bonds, electrons are shared equally and the atoms
remain neutrally charged.
Question: What causes bonds to be polar or nonpolar?
1. Observe: Select the Show polar molecule inset checkbox. The animation shows the probable location of
electrons (orange dots) in a polar molecule.
A. What do you notice about the I notice they are relatively close to each other
distribution of the electrons?
B. How does this electron distribution The more electrons something has, its more negative
affect the charges of the bonded
atoms?
2. Observe: Turn on the Show nonpolar molecule inset.
A. How are the electrons in this They are evenly distributed
molecule distributed?
B. Why do the bonded atoms remain Because neither atoms attract more electrons
neutral?
3. Experiment: Turn off Show polar molecule inset and Show nonpolar molecule inset. Check that Show
valence electrons is turned on. Drag the Na and Cl atoms into the simulation area. Click Play. Note the
colors. Red indicates a negative charge, while blue indicates a positive charge.
A. What happens to sodium (Na) valence electron?
B. Try several other metal/nonmetal combinations. What do you notice about the bonds that form?
all of the bonds are ionic
In ionic bonds, the nonmetal atom pulls electrons so much more strongly than the metal atom that
electrons are completely transferred to the nonmetal atom. Drag each of these combinations into
the Ionic bond bin on the upper right of the Gizmo.
Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
