PROCESOS PEDAGOGICOS PARA

EDUCACION FORMAL Código: LC-FO-

GIMNASIO CAMPESTRE OXFORD 04

WORKSHOP Versión: 2

Fecha:
25/01/2020

Date: ______________ Name: ______________________________ Grade: ______________

Chemical Formula Activity

A fun and simple way to visualize molecules is to build models. In this activity, you can build
models using the information given in the empirical, molecular and structural formulas of different
compounds.
What you will need:

 Toothpicks
 Soft colored candies such as gumdrops, sorted by color
 Paper
 Pencil
1) Draw the following table on your paper: (Make sure to leave enough room to fill in the boxes)

Name Structural Formula Molecular Formula Empirical Formula

Ethane

Butane

Water

Hydrogen Peroxide
2) Look up the structural formulas for the three compounds listed above and draw it on your paper.
3) Determine the molecular formula by counting the number of each type of atom. For example,
the molecular formula of ethane is C2 H6. Write the molecular formula in the column next to the
structural formula of each compound.
4) Next to the molecular formula, write the empirical formula for the compounds by determining the
ratios of each type of atom present in the molecule. For example, ethane has 3 hydrogen atoms
for each carbon atom, so its empirical formula is CH 3.
4) Starting with the empirical formulas, try to build a model of the compounds using the information
given in the formula. Select one color candy to represent hydrogen, one color to represent oxygen
and one color to represent carbon. You will notice that only the structural formulas give the
information required to build a molecule. For the molecular and empirical formulas, you can make
a little pile of the required candies.

Questions
1) How do the molecular and empirical formulas compare to each other? How are they different?
2) Which formula allows for the best model to be built?
3) When do you think people use each of the types of formulas the most?
4) What are the pros and cons of each formula?