10 simple molecules you can model

by Lauren Kunce

Here are 10 simple molecules that you can model for yourself. You can use a similar atom kit, candies with toothpicks, or even just draw them on paper and color them with crayons or markers. Our family bought a kit online and I was inspired to show you what I made out of it.

1. Oxygen Molecule

This is the model of Oxygen or O2. It consists of:

  • 2 red Oxygen atoms

Oxygen makes up about a quarter of what we breathe and think of as air. (Nitrogen is the largest component at 78%, and there small parts of other gases.) Sometimes if people have been in a fire or a smoky place, or if they have breathing problems, they might need to use oxygen from a tank. Oxygen is the third most abundant element in the whole universe! (The second being Helium and first being Hydrogen.)

2. Carbon Monoxide Molecule

This is the model of Carbon Monoxide or CO. It has:

  • 1 black Carbon atom
  • 1 red Oxygen atom

You might know Carbon Monoxide from your Carbon Monoxide detector that you should have in your home. It is a gas that can be poisonous to your body, so you have to make sure to have good ventilation when burning different types of fuel, such as gasoline, wood, propane, and charcoal.

3. Hydrogen Chloride Molecule

This is the model of Hydrogen Chloride or HCl. It consists of:

  • 1 green Chlorine atom
  • 1 white Hydrogen atom

Hydrogen Chloride is a natural part of your stomach acid (Hydrochloric Acid) which helps to break down the food you eat so you can digest it. It can also be made and used in steel production, bathroom cleaners, and is part of the salt used to de-ice our roads in wintertime.

4. Carbon Dioxide Molecule

This is the model of Carbon Dioxide or CO2. It contains:

  • 1 black Carbon atom
  • 2 red Oxygen atoms

Carbon Dioxide is a gas that is mainly what you breathe out. Plants use carbon dioxide in the process known as photosynthesis to make their food, then they give off oxygen (which works out pretty good for those of us who need that to breathe!) We have carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere which helps keep the sun’s heat in, but we can’t have too much or it may cause overheating.

5. Water Molecule

This is the model of water or H2O. As you can see, it contains:

  • 2 white Hydrogen atoms
  • 1 red Oxygen atom

Water is, of course, the stuff you (hopefully) bathe in, drink for hydration, and maybe go sledding on when it’s in its solid/frozen state.

6. Ammonia Molecule

This is the model of Ammonia or NH3. This contains:

  • 1 blue Nitrogen atom
  • 3 white Hydrogen atoms

Ammonia is found in many household cleaning agents. (FYI: Not to confuse it with the sickness, that’s Pneumonia.) It is also an ingredient in fertilizers, as well as rocket fuel.

7. Hydrogen Peroxide Molecule

This is the model of hydrogen peroxide or H202. This one is made up of:

  • 2 white Hydrogen atoms
  • 2 red Oxygen atoms

You might know hydrogen peroxide as the fizzy stuff that sometimes burns when you clean a cut with it. It is great for whitening things like laundry, and can also be used as a mouthwash.

8. Methane Molecule

This is the model of Methane or CH4. It consists of:

  • 1 black Carbon atom
  • 4 white Hydrogen atom

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. (That means it helps trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere.) Methane is flammable and is used as fuel worldwide in natural gas. It’s given off naturally in wetlands, in cattle farming, and by bacteria in landfills.

9. Propane Molecule

This is the model of propane or C3H8. It consists of:

  • 3 black Carbon atoms
  • 8 white Hydrogen atoms

You might have a small propane tank that fuels your camping stove or a medium tank that runs your backyard grill. People can also use it for heating their pools or as fuel for forklifts.

10. Glucose Molecule

This is the model of Glucose or C6H12O6. As you can see, it contains:

  • 6 black Carbon atoms
  • 12 white Hydrogen atoms
  • 6 red Oxygen atoms

Glucose is a simple sugar that is found naturally in honey, sweet corn, and grapes, in addition to many other fruits, veggies, and carbohydrates.

And now that you’ve seen these 10, why not do something fun with them? You could make them out of toothpicks and marshmallows. You could make an informational poster to teach your friends and family. Or you could even draw a molecule superhero (or a supervillain—bwa-ha-ha!) like this: