Chemical Bonds & Tug of War

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Chemical Bonds & Tug of War

# CONCEPT OVERVIEW

When atoms, ions, and other particles get together, the attraction of gravity causes them to hold onto each other.  Chemical bonding causes molecules to hold together so that the atoms don’t fly apart. Chemists call this attraction between atoms and ions a bond. A strong bond keeps the atoms and ions together. So, molecules are held together by strong bonds. Strong bonds keep molecules stable.

The reason that atoms want to become stable is that they need to lose some of their energy. When two atoms interact with each other, they attract one another and try to be closer to one another. This is known as a chemical bond. When atoms come together and attract each other, they give off energy in the form of heat. So when two atoms bond together, the energy goes down. When atoms try to pull away from each other, the energy goes up. We can explain different types of bonds (Covalent Bonds and Ionic Bonds) with a simple game of tug-of-war.

DETAILS
Activity Length -
20-25 Minutes
Topics -
Covalent Bonds, Ionic Bonds
Materials Req. -
5-6 metre Rope

# INSTRUCTIONS

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PREPARE SCENERIO

It’s cold weather, in the middle of the jungle. The sun is completely blocked out with dark black clouds. There seems to be only one source of heat, that is fastened in the middle of the rope lying on the ground while two teams standing on either side of it. Each member will compete to pull the source of heat to its team, so as to enjoy its warmth! TUG-OF-WAR.

DRIVE CONVERSATIONS 
WITH ANALOGIES

Notice how each group has different result. Using the analogies given below and different results, try to metaphorise and explain the concept of bonds.

#1 Non-Polar Covalent Bond

If both the team are equal in power, the source of heat will remain in the middle of the rope. And thus, will give equal warmth on either side. Similarly, a nonpolar covalent bond is a covalent bond in which the bonding electrons are shared equally between the two atoms. In a nonpolar covalent bond, the distribution of electrical charge is balanced between the two atoms.

#2 Polar Covalent Bond

So if one team is stronger than the other, they will pull the rope with more force towards them. They will share the heat source, though the weaker team would feel less warmth from the source since it is at a greater distance from them. In Polar Covalent chemical bonding, electrons are shared unequally since the more electronegative atom pulls the electron pair closer to itself and away from the less electronegative atom.

#3 Ionic Bond

It might happen that one of the team would become so powerful that they just pull the rope & the heat source completely towards them.

Similarly, Ionic bonds occur when electrons are transferred from one atom to another. The bond forms as a result of strong electrostatic forces of attraction between a positively and negatively charged species.

# ANALOGIES

A nonpolar covalent bond is a covalent bond in which the bonding electrons are shared equally between the two atoms. In a nonpolar covalent bond, the distribution of electrical charge is balanced between the two atoms.
If both the team are equal in power, the source of heat will remain in the middle of the rope. And thus, will give equal warmth on either side.
In Polar Covalent chemical bonding, electrons are shared unequally since the more electronegative atom pulls the electron pair closer to itself and away from the less electronegative atom.
So if one team is stronger than the other, they will pull the rope with more force towards them. They will share the heat source, though the weaker team would feel less warmth from the source since it is at a greater distance from them.
Ionic bonds occur when electrons are transferred from one atom to another. The bond forms as a result of strong electrostatic forces of attraction between a positively and negatively charged species.
It might happen that one of the team would become so powerful that they just pull the rope & the heat source completely towards them.
Teacher's Notes
The mediator should tie an object in the middle of the rope, which will act or metaphorize as a source of heat.
Teacher's Notes
The class would be divided into two groups which will also promote healthy competition.
Teacher's Notes
The teacher can produce different scenarios until it satisfies the intended analogy.

# ANALOGIES

A nonpolar covalent bond is a covalent bond in which the bonding electrons are shared equally between the two atoms. In a nonpolar covalent bond, the distribution of electrical charge is balanced between the two atoms.
If both the team are equal in power, the source of heat will remain in the middle of the rope. And thus, will give equal warmth on either side.
In Polar Covalent chemical bonding, electrons are shared unequally since the more electronegative atom pulls the electron pair closer to itself and away from the less electronegative atom.
So if one team is stronger than the other, they will pull the rope with more force towards them. They will share the heat source, though the weaker team would feel less warmth from the source since it is at a greater distance from them.
Ionic bonds occur when electrons are transferred from one atom to another. The bond forms as a result of strong electrostatic forces of attraction between a positively and negatively charged species.
It might happen that one of the team would become so powerful that they just pull the rope & the heat source completely towards them.
Teacher's Notes
The mediator should tie an object in the middle of the rope, which will act or metaphorize as a source of heat.
Teacher's Notes
The class would be divided into two groups which will also promote healthy competition.
Teacher's Notes
The teacher can produce different scenarios until it satisfies the intended analogy.

Further Resources

Chemical Bonds
‍@ BYJUS

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INDEX

Thermodynamics with Back-2-Back Drawings
Ideal Gas Law with Carrom
Integration with Hand Drawings
Gold Foil Experiment with Cricket
Newton's Third Law with Tug of War
Explaining Bohr's Atomic Model with Cricket
Immune System with Lagori
Chemical Bonds with Tug of War

Thermodynamics with Back-2-Back Drawings

Ideal Gas Law with Carrom

Integration with Hand Drawings

Gold Foil Experiment with Cricket

Newton's Third Law with Tug of War

Explaining Bohr's Atomic Model with Cricket

Immune System with Lagori

Chemical Bonds with Tug of War