Modeling Water

PART I: A simple model

Your instructor will give you M&Ms to use today. Since you will probably want to eat the
M&Ms later, use a clean piece of paper for this activity.
1.

Draw a rectangular box approximately 4 inches wide by 6 inches high on your

piece of paper. Imagine that this box represents a covered beaker sitting on your
desk. The top of the box represents the top of the beaker; the bottom of the box
the bottom of the beaker. Underneath this box write the label beaker.

2.

Now imagine that each M&M represents a water molecule. Arrange the water
molecules in the beaker to represent solid water (ice).

3.

On your results sheet, draw a sketch of what your solid water looks like.

4.

Is there more than one way that you could arrange the M&Ms to represent solid
water? Explain your answer, and if there are alternative arrangements, sketch
one of them.

5.

Now let your M&M water molecules melt to form liquid water. Move the M&Ms
in your beaker to represent the change from solid to liquid water. On your
results sheet, draw a sketch of what your liquid water looks like. Is there more
than one way to represent the liquid water? Explain.

6.

Finally, move the M&Ms to represent what happens when all of the liquid water
evaporates or boils to form water vapor. Sketch the result.

7.

In what way(s) are solid and liquid water similar? In what way(s) are they
different? How did you represent these similarities and differences with your
M&M models?

8.

In what way(s) are liquid and gaseous water similar? In what way(s) are they
different? How did you represent these similarities and differences with your
M&M models?

Part II: A somewhat more realistic model.

1.

How would your results change if you used a more realistic model of a water
moleculeone that shows the individual atoms? Start by drawing a simple
representation of a water molecule, using circles or other symbols to represent the
individual atoms.

2.

Now imagine liquid water that is boiling vigorously at 100 C, the normal boiling
point of water. Use the circles below to represent a small sample of the liquid
water, a small sample of the water vapor above the liquid, and a bubble within the
boiling liquid. Using your realistic representation of water, and any other
molecular model that you think is appropriate, sketch the contents of each circle.

Liquid water
3.

Water vapor

Bubble

How do the contents of the bubble compare to the liquid water sample? How do
the contents of the bubble compare to the water vapor?

Individual Results and Conclusions

Group Results and Conclusions

Names of group members who participated in the activity. (Circle the recorders name).
______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

Part I: Using small circles to represent the M&M water molecules, sketch the solid,
liquid, and vapor representations in the boxes below.

Solid

Liquid

Is there more than one way to represent the solid? If yes, explain.

Vapor

Is there more than one way to represent the liquid? If yes, explain.

Is there more than one way to represent the gas? If yes, explain.

How did your representation of the liquid differ from your representation of the solid?
How were they similar?

How did your representation of the gas differ from your representation of the liquid?
How were they similar?

PART II: Complete the figures below as described in the handout:

Liquid water

Water vapor

Bubble

How do the contents of the bubble compare to the liquid water sample?

How do the contents of the bubble compare to the water vapor?

Instructors Notes:

I think about 24 M & Ms will work, but I have to buy some actual candies to see. I also need to
find out how many are in an individual small package.)

Should density be addressed directly?

Should students check out the Web Companion?

At some point you want the students to see that the M&Ms representing the solid do not have to
be spread across the bottom of the box, while the liquid does

Before they go to part II, you might want to have each group share their observations from Part I.

In Part II, you want to be sure that they understand that the vapor contains whole water
molecules that are more spread out than the liquid. You also want to be sure that they understand
that the bubble contains water vapor.