A LITTLE BOND-BUILDING GAME
Make the connections.
Pick two atoms. Add a shared pair. Can you give every atom the right number of bonds?
A connection puzzle, not a reaction simulation. Positions are schematic, not the molecule’s real 3D shape.
What is happening to the electrons?
Each line stands for one shared pair of electrons attracted to both bonded nuclei. In these simple neutral molecules, each atom contributes one electron to a pair. Each atom counts both electrons in that pair towards its shell. Hydrogen reaches 2; carbon, nitrogen and oxygen reach 8 in these examples.
The counters show the usual bond counts for these particular molecules. They are a useful pattern, not a rule for every substance. Lone pairs stay on an atom and are not drawn on the board. The game does not model collision energy, reaction pathways or quantum behaviour.
Explore the lesson for lone pairs, 3D molecular shapes, ions and electron clouds.