Jake Indgin

10/11/16
Period 5
Ms. Everett
Quantum Mechanics and Split Peas Lab Report
Purpose:
The purpose of this lab was to give us a better understanding of how Bohr’s electron
model would have worked if he had gone just a little farther in his research. We now know that
electrons orbit an atom’s nucleus in spherical levels called “orbitals”. This lab will simulate the
placement of said electrons into these orbitals at different heights. The goal is to find out whether
or not the electrons (represented by split peas) are more dense in one specific orbital than
another, depending on the height at which they’re dropped.

Hypothesis:
I hypothesize that if the split peas are dropped on the target at different heights, then there
will be little difference regarding which orbital the most peas landed in.

Materials Used:
● Pencil
● Paper with target printed on it
● Funnel
● Graduated cylinder
● Calculator
● 40 milliliters of split peas

Rules for counting:

● If a pea is completely within an area, it belongs to that area.
● If the pea is on the line, it belongs to the area that the greater portion of its volume
occupies.
● If the pea is on a line, and seems to be equally in two areas, it belongs to the area nearest
the center.
● Any part of a pea counts as a pea .

Procedure:
1. Place the target paper in the middle of the desk as to avoid spilling the peas on the
ground.
2. Be sure the graduated cylinder contains the closest you can get to 40 ml of peas
3. Pour 20 ml of peas into the funnel over the center of the paper
4. Count up the number of peas in each orbital while following the guidelines above
5. Add up all the peas
6. Find the percentage of peas in each orbital by dividing the amount of peas in each orbital
by the total peas and then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage
7. Repeat step 6 for all six orbitals
 8. Repeat steps 1 through 7 for the second results, but hold the funnel a little higher away
from the paper this time

Data Table:

Run 1 Run 2

Area # # of peas % of total Area # # of peas % of total

1 14 8.2% 1 8 4.7%

2 46 27.1% 2 18 10.6%

3 50 29.4% 3 38 22.4%

4 24 14.1% 4 42 24.7%

5 20 11.8% 5 30 17.6%

6 16 9.4% 6 34 20%

Total 170 100% Total 170 100%

Analysis Questions:
1. In the first run, which area did the most peas land in?
The most peas (50) landed in area #3.
2. Did this change for the second run?
Yes, it did change. The area with the most peas in run 2 was area #4 with 42 peas.
3. If you were to do this again, only you had to predict where 90% of the peas would fall, what
would you prediction be?
I would predict that 90% of the peas would land in areas 2, 3, 4, and 5
4. Does your 90% prediction mean that every pea will fall where you think?
No, it’s most likely that there will be a few variations in pea locations, just like how run 1
was different from run 2. An experiment going exactly according to hypothesis is extremely
unlikely.
5. Explain how the results mimic the orbitals described in the quantum mechanical model of the
atom.
Certain electrons (split peas) fit into certain orbitals, and remain there, just like how they
would in a quantum mechanical atom model. Depending on the element, the electrons are placed
in different orbitals, and runs 1 and 2 could represent two different elements in quantum
mechanical form.