You are encouraged to have your textbooks available in lab during this exercise.

Use the model kits to make models of each of the compounds in the “Experimental” section. After you are certain that you have constructed the correct molecular structure, examine the model closely and answer the questions in each section. Write your answers in the spaces provided. You will find it beneficial to draw the full structure of a molecule on paper before attempting to make its model, because the structure is frequently difficult to visualize from the condensed formula. For example, the condensed formula for cyclohexane is C₆H₁₂, which gives no clue to its ring structure.

Each of the colored balls in the kit is used to represent a single atom. The balls are color coded to represent different kinds of atoms: black = carbon; white = hydrogen; red = oxygen; green = halogen (Since they allow just one bond, these can also be used as extra hydrogen atoms); blue = nitrogen (One has only 3 bonds; two have 4 bonds. The latter can be used as extra carbon atoms); yellow = sulfur (Since they allow four bonds, they can be used as extra carbon atoms). There are also tan and silver balls, but they are for certain inorganic molecules and will not be used in this exercise.

The atoms in a molecule are held together with bonds. There are three types of links in the kit used to represent the bonds. You will use the medium-length link (gray) to represent single covalent bonds, and the long, flexible link (gray) for double and triple bonds. The short white link will not be used in this exercise.

You may find that your kit does not have sufficient parts to construct all of the molecules in a particular section. When that occurs, you are welcome to share parts and models with a neighbor. For example, one section requires you to make models of both benzene and cyclohexane. One student can build cyclohexane and the other benzene, and then share the results.