Here are four different ways chemists use to show a molecule of ammonia. In the colored molecule models, nitrogen atoms are blue and hydrogen atoms are white.
Click on image for full size
Windows to the Universe original artwork by Randy Russell.
Molecules
Most things around us are made of groups of atoms connected together into packages called molecules.
Molecules are made from atoms of one or more elements. Some molecules are made of only one type of atom. Other molecules are very large and are made of hundreds of atoms.
Even large molecules are so small that you would not be able to see only one molecule of something. But when thousands of molecules are together, they might look like a glass of water, a tree or even your computer screen!
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
The
Fall 2010 issue of The Earth Scientist, focuses on rocks and minerals, including articles on minerals and mining, the use of minerals in society, and rare earth minerals, and includes 3 posters!
You might also be interested in:
Everything you see around you is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are so small that you can’t see them but scientists have found out that there are many different types of atoms, and each type
...more
Oxygen (O2) is a kind of gas. A lot of the air you breathe is oxygen. That's a good thing, since we need oxygen to stay alive! About 4/5ths of the air in Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen (N2). Almost all
...moreChemistry is the study of matter, energy, and how they effect each other. Chemists study the what substances are made of and what they do, and how they react with each other. Chemists work to develop new
...more The elements in the periodic table on the left are divided into three groups. The elements in the table that have green squares are called metals. Most elements are metals. They are usually shiny, seem
...more
What’s the Earth made of? Most of the Earth’s outer layer, the crust, is made up of eight types of elements. Oxygen (O) Silicon (Si) Aluminum (Al) Iron (Fe) Calcium (Ca) Sodium (Na) Potassium (K) Magnesium
...more
Elements make up everything around us including the trees of a forest, your pets, and even YOU! All living things are made up of small compartments called cells and the cells of every creature are made
...more
Triton is the largest moon of Neptune. It isn't quite as big as Earth's Moon. The surface of Triton is very, very cold. It is colder than the surface of any other planet or moon in our Solar System. It
...more
