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How to Make a Freestanding Model of an Atom

Used to illustrate the relationships between protons, neutrons and electrons within an atom̵7;s nucleus, atomic models are ideal tools for science classrooms, as they give students a hands-on activity that also serves as a visual reference for the activity within an atom. Easy to construct from inexpensive materials, these atomic models use little more than clay and toothpicks and may either be presented as free-standing models or hung from string as part of a much larger project.

Things You'll Need

1 bar of red clay
1 bar of green clay
1 bar of orange clay
Toothpicks

Instructions

- 1
  Break the bars of clay into smaller pieces and roll the pieces into balls. The red and green balls should be the same size and relatively larger than the orange balls.
- 2
  Join the red and green balls together, either by pressing them together or by placing toothpicks between them. In the atomic model, the red balls should represent protons, the green balls should represent neutrons, and the smaller orange balls should represent electrons. A model of helium, for example, would consist of two red balls, two green balls, and one orange ball.
- 3
  Push three toothpicks into the bottom of the red and green clay balls once they̵7;ve been joined together, inserting them at angles to form a tripod on which the model will stand.
- 4
  Place one orange ball onto the tip of a toothpick for the helium atom model. Push the other end of the toothpick into the top of one of the other balls of clay. This will represent the electrons within the atom̵7;s electron cloud.

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