Super Adam!
a short story about composition of simple molecules for middle school students
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Adam was sitting in the middle of chemistry class, trying to pay attention to his teacher Ms. Newton as she explained how atoms combine and form molecules. But Adam's mind was wandering, thinking about his plans to go hiking with his best friend after school to look for cool rocks to add to their collections.
Suddenly, Adam's smartwatch started buzzing and flashing with a red light - the Science Emergency Alert System was being activated! Adam quickly pressed a button on the watch to silence it before it drew too much attention. This alert could only mean one thing - the fate of the world was at stake once again!
Adrenaline surged through Adam's veins as his heart started racing with excitement. He cautiously raised his hand. "Uhh, Ms. Newton, I hate to interrupt, but I just remembered I have really urgent business to take care of. May I please be excused?" Ms. Newton sighed, having dealt with Adam's awkward excuses before. "I suppose so, Adam. But we're having a quiz tomorrow on atomic structure, so I hope you'll make time to study tonight."
"Of course, thanks Ms. Newton!" Adam grabbed his backpack and raced out of the classroom. He sprinted down the empty hallways and out the back door of the school toward the sports fields. After making sure no one was around, Adam snuck into a hidden underground tunnel which led to his secret laboratory.
As he ran, Adam pulled up the alert on his smartwatch to analyze the details. A new strain of highly concentrated acidic gas was spreading through the upper atmosphere. The gas molecules were loosely spaced out and freely colliding into each other and any solid surface they encountered. Adam knew this gas could dissolve metal and pose a serious threat to cities if it continued spreading.
Being loosely spaced with free moving molecules, gases have very different properties compared to tightly packed solid metals and their orderly crystalline atomic structures. Adam had to act fast to somehow neutralize this acidic gas before it could react destructively with exposed metals across the country.
Adam's lab was filled with amazing equipment and rows of chemicals that he used in his scientific adventures. He frantically started combining substances, relying on his advanced knowledge of how atoms can be rearranged to form new molecules with different properties.
After testing several unsuccessful mixtures, Adam finally concocted a large batch of a highly basic solution. "This should react with and neutralize the acidic gas molecules!" Adam exclaimed.
He quickly loaded barrels of the basic solution into his high-tech aircraft. As Adam flew up through the clouds, his indicators showed the deadly acidic gas approaching from the north. Taking a deep breath, Adam flew directly into the hazy gas cloud and began releasing the basic solution.
As the substances combined in the air, a remarkable reaction took place. The acidic gas molecules were safely reacting with the basic solution, their protons being transferred and resulting in the formation of harmless water molecules. Adam watched with satisfaction as the readings on his control panel showed the dangerous gas being fully neutralized.
Within minutes, Adam had successfully stopped the spread of the deadly acidic gas and saved the citizens below from a disastrous fate. He smiled thinking about the detailed chemical reactions and equations he could write up for Ms. Newton's class tomorrow. His teacher would simply shake her head in disbelief once again upon hearing of Adam's latest bold scientific adventure saving the world.
Use the Macro setting to explore how acids and bases react (source of simulation).
Just an average day for the chemistry hero! Adam returned home proud that his science knowledge had been put to good use, saving lives. But he still needed to study for that quiz on atomic structures and properties of matter. After all, even heroes had homework to do!
Educational resource references:
NGSS:MS-PS1-1: Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures
Tags: atom molecule physical organic manga FK8
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