Ball-and-stick model

A molecular model represents atoms as balls and chemical bonds as rods connecting them. It makes molecular connectivity and three-dimensional geometry visible, while exaggerating bond lengths and shrinking atoms for clarity.

Atom: The basic unit of a chemical element, consisting of a nucleus surrounded by electrons. Each ball represents an atom, though models often color-code elements.
Molecular model: A physical or digital representation of a molecule’s structure or properties. Ball-and-stick models are one familiar type of molecular model.
Space-filling model: A molecular representation that depicts atoms as spheres sized to approximate their relative spatial extent. It shows molecular volume more realistically but obscures many bonds.
Molecular formula: A notation specifying the number of atoms of each element in a molecule. A formula gives composition, while the model adds atom-to-atom arrangement.
Chemical bond: An attraction that holds atoms together in a molecule or crystal. Each rod stands for a bond linking two atoms.
Chemistry education: The teaching and learning of chemical concepts and practices. The models help learners connect formulas with three-dimensional shapes.
Skeletal formula: A shorthand drawing of organic molecules that omits most carbon and hydrogen labels. It conveys connectivity compactly without depicting atoms as balls.
Structural formula: A representation showing how atoms in a molecule are connected. It provides a two-dimensional counterpart to the model’s spatial view.
Molecular geometry: The three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule. The model’s spatial layout displays molecular shape and bond angles.
Molecular visualization: The visual representation of molecular structures and properties. Digital ball-and-stick views make molecular geometry inspectable on screens.

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