The Atom

The atom: that tiny, mysterious thing that everything is made of. One hundred and eighteen different types of these things (the elements of the periodic table) have been discovered or synthesized which combine in a variety of ways to create the millions and millions of different things we see and touch. So, wouldn't it be cool to have a model of this building block of the universe-- a model built out of Lego bricks?

I chose lithium-6 as the specific atom I would make a model of. This means that there are 3 protons, 3 neutrons, and 3 electrons, which seemed to be a good number without the atom being too big or too small. The 3 small yellow balls are the electrons and the large red balls are protons and the blue ones are the neutrons. It was challenging to position the protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom so that they were both close together and angled somewhat correctly. Finding the right part to create protons and neutrons was hard as well. I chose to use large 8x8 windscreen domes, with each nucleon composed of two domes facing opposite each other. I would prefer the nucleons to be closer to together. The electrons are actually much, much closer to the nucleus than they should be if the atom were proportional. The entire atom can rotate on its vertical axis. It features a nice large base and display plate with some facts about the atom. The model is about 16 inches tall and 8 inches wide and is built from 133 pieces. This model was built and rendered virtually using Studio. While the entire model can be built using parts that have been produced, I thought some of the parts should instead be made in more attractive colors. Of course the display plate is custom.

I think that this would make an awesome display model for mainly adults and young adults (or anyone younger who would enjoy it) as it is not meant to be played with but as a display piece. I think that especially those of us who are science or chemistry enthusiasts would like this model. It can be used educationally for demonstration of the atom and its main components for all ages, but especially in the field of chemistry.

If you like The Atom please hit the support button. Please share with others to help this reach the 10,000 supports necessary to become a real Lego set! Also if you are interested in other chemistry/science projects, check out my periodic table of elements: https://ideas.lego.com/content/project/link/521982d9-464d-4688-ab69-6df91394b5d5

Thank you for reading!