An Over-Engineered Atom Project

In this project I built a rotating, three-axis sodium atom model inspired by Google’s periodic table animation. It uses three motors so the nucleus and each orbital spin independently.

I spent a few days working on this project and it was a killer for extra credit!

If you want, you can see the atom spinning in Tinkercad by clicking this ↓ and then going to the falling apple for the simulation, then press play.

1. scissors

Make sure they're able to cut!

1. wire cutters

For the wire, of course.

1. tape

Strong, but not too sticky

1. hot glue gun (and the glue)

Don't burn yourself!

1. fishing wire

You can also use regular sewing thread

1. paper

Optional, only if you want decorations, a title or key

1. tape measure

Make sure it is proportional!

1. cardboard

Two types; the atom and the stand

1. 30 RPM 3-6v motors x3

You can find them on Amazon or at a robotics store

1. 3.7v 300mAh Li-Po batteries x2

You will need two of these, they are for the motors.

1. 2 AA batteries with a case

This is for the top motor, but you can use another Li-Po if you want.

1. jumper wires (Arduino wires) x4

These are in all Arduino kits or you can just buy them.

1. metal wire

This is at a lot of parts stores and can be cut using wire cutters or sharp scissors.

1. straw

Small is the best, you will cut this into small pieces.

1. big red pompoms

Or any other positive color like white

1. big blue pompoms

Or any other neutral color like yellow

1. small black pompoms

Or any other negative color like blue, make sure the colors don't mix with each other!

For the stand, I used the cardboard that most shipping boxes are made out of for the top and bottom, and then glued on cardboard tubes to each corner which are common in wrapping paper rolls or paper towels. Use hot glue to secure them and make sort of a cube that can fit whatever atom you are doing.

To cut the rings for the orbitals, I used fine, strong cardboard for the material, then used a compass to mark the circles which were then cut out, they were about 7 inches in diameter and about 1 inch wide.

For this, you take one of the positive or neutral colors that you had and you glue it to another one, I like to alternate colors so it makes more of a random color scheme for the middle.

Make sure that when you're gluing it, you make a nice round ball so it's more even when it's spinning. Also, if you want your model to be accurate, make sure to put the right amount of each pompoms.

This part was a bit tricky, but you can manage it. What you have to do is get some fishing wire or thread and poke it through the nucleus using a sewing needle.

Then, tie it to each end of the smallest ring you have cut. Finally, after you spin it to make it tight, you need to add another thread through it the opposite way to keep it from unwinding and tie it to each end.

This part depends on what atom you choose to build, so just make sure you have the right amount of rings, (I did 3) and the right electron shell configuration.

This means that if you have 11 electrons, (Like I did) then you put 2 on the middle ring, 8 on the next one, and 1 on the next one, following the 2-8-8-2 pattern. Electrons will be represented as the small negative colored pompoms.

This part is completely optional, but I had to do it for my project and in my opinion, it makes it look pretty cool.

To make it you just need a small cardboard piece of your choice, the pompoms you used before (and part of the orbital if you want), and labels for each one and the key.

Just glue each piece on, label them, glue it on the model and you're done!

Now for the most important step, time to make it spin! If you have 3 rings like I do, the first thing you want to do is find the medium ring, and then get the biggest one.

Then, you get a 30 RPM motor and glue it to the outside (biggest) ring. Once it dries, you get the medium ring and glue the spinning part of the motor to it. Make sure it's at a 90º angle to the next motor and parallel to the axle connectors.

This part is pretty important, it keeps the rings from hitting each other and it makes it possible to spin.

To make the axle connectors, all you need is the straw, and some strong metal wire. First, cut the wire to a small piece about 2½ in long, and bend one of the sides to make a curve.

Then, glue the wire curve to the middle ring (the one that motor is glued on), making it horizontal to the motor you added. Take the straw and cut a small piece out about ½ in long, and put it on the other end of the wire.

Finally, take the piece of the straw, and keeping it on the wire, glue it to the outside (biggest) ring that the wire isn't on. Great job! You made a spinning ring using a motor and a homemade axle connector!

This part should be easier now that you have an idea on how to add motors, because its basically the same as Step 7 except it's on the two smaller rings and makes it spins around the x-axis (horizontally).

Start with the middle ring, add the motor 90º degrees from the original motor with the spinning end facing the smaller ring. Then, glue the spinning end to the smallest ring with the nucleus.

Remember that while you're gluing, keep them on the opposite side of the electrons for a better visual and more room for the wires and batteries.

This is basically the same as Step 8. You cut wire based on how far apart the rings are from each other making sure there's enough wire to cover the length of the ring that the straw will go on, making it to the other ring for

Then, bend the wire the same way and glue it to the first ring, then get a small piece of a straw and put it on the wire so you can glue it on the other ring.

Congrats! you're done with this part of the atom, now you just need to add it to the stand.

This part was a bit of a challenge for me, but I think that you can figure it out.

First, you need to get the stand ready to put the atom in. Add a motor by gluing the spinning end on the top of the largest ring. Be sure the line between the motor and the axle connector on the middle ring is horizontal to your atom stand. Then, you put a small hole in the top middle of your stand, this is where you will later feed the motor wire through the top so you can connect it to the battery. But don't do that yet!

Next, you need an axle connector at the bottom of the stand. For this, you glue a small piece of the straw to the bottom of the biggest ring, because this is where the wire will feed through. For the wire, you stick a piece through the bottom middle, and making sure it sticks up straight and so there's enough length to reach the straw and to bend underneath the base of the stand.

You'll need to secure the axle connector to the base of the stand. So after you poke the wire through the base, bend the wire 90 degrees and then to the right making it like a "U" flat against the bottom. After you do that, glue it on the bottom so it does not move around.

Now you'll actually put the atom into the stand and it's a little tricky so pay attention. First, put a little glue on on the underside of the top of the stand next to where you put the hole (for the wire) - enough glue to hold the motor but not so much it covers the small hole. Then quickly get the atom you've prepared and position the bottom of the atom so that the straw at the bottom of the ring fits over the wire at the bottom of the stand. Then move the whole atom upward to get the motor (on the top of the ring) to the glue you put on the underside of the top of the stand. Stick the motor in the glue. You can either hold it or tilt the whole stand upside-down for the glue to dry.

Finally, feed the wire of the top motor through the hole you poked earlier, and attach the 2 AA batteries with the holder, Finally, put the wires in the motor socket. Now to add the rest of the batteries.

Now, to make the Y and Z spinning axis to the atom, you need batteries. Get the 3-3.7v Li-Po batteries to add to the rings.

First, on one of the rings (doesn't matter which one), glue a battery on the same face of the ring as the motor, but the opposite side of the ring (to balance out the weight). Make sure to make the wires point towards the ring so its easier to direct the wires to the motor.

Then, connect the positive motor wire to the positive battery wire. Remember to keep the negative wire out until you're ready to turn it on, this is because if you connect both wires it will start spinning! Then tape the wires down to the ring so they don't move around, finally do the same exact thing for the other ring and you have an X, Y, and Z Spinning Atom Model!

This is the final step! Congratulations — you're almost there! This step is probably my favorite, it just brings the whole project together. For this, its a bit of your choice on how to make it.

All I did was cut out a piece of cardboard and hot glued it on the top of the stand right in front of the batteries to hide them. Then, I printed out a paper with the name of the atom and people who helped with other parts of the project.

But for yours, it's totally up to you! Whether you want a different atom or if you want to decorate it, this part is where you can get creative on your project to make it look much cooler, and in your zone.

Its time for the grand finale, making it spin! The most complex yet simple step is right ahead of you. Just connect the wires to the battery on the smallest ring, then move to the middle one and do the same, then push down on the switch (if your battery case has one, if not just connect the second wire) for the 2 AA batteries, and watch your creation spin!

This project started as a simple classroom assignment and quickly turned into a fun challenge to over-engineer a spinning sodium atom. By combining basic materials, simple motors, and a bit of creativity, I was able to build a model that not only looks interesting but also demonstrates how electron orbitals move around a nucleus. I learned a lot about balancing rotating parts, clean wiring, and designing mounts that keep the whole structure stable while spinning. If I build a second version, I’d upgrade the stand, refine the wiring paths, and maybe add LEDs or stronger motors. Overall, this was a rewarding build and a great example of how a school project can become something much more ambitious.

1. This is the link for the motors (I would recommend getting 6 of them when you're buying them cheap like I did but if you find a better option that's fine. For the cheap ones, 2 of them didn't work so you're playing a gamble)
2. This is the link for the batteries (this is only for the 3.7v Li-Po ones, for the top motor you will have to get either another one of these batteries or use 2 AA batteries and a case)
3. This is the link for wires (only if you don't have some, I did but you might not)

Final cost: $30.97 (if you're starting from scratch)

I would recommend looking for all the stuff at your house before you buy the materials so it can be more cheap.

If the model does not spin, here is some troubleshooting advice:

1. Check if each part works correctly
2. Attach a new battery that you know works on the motor and if it spins, then it's the batteries fault, try charging it or replace it.
3. If the motor does not spin, it's the motors fault and check to make sure that the voltage is correct and if yes then try a new motor.
4. Make sure it can spin without the motor
5. Try to see if the model can actually spin manually. Whether its a part thats blocking the path, or if it's too much friction, this is a common cause of things not spinning.
6. Make sure that the final project is evenly weighed and not wobbling when it spins or it will loosen or damage parts of the project.
7. Of course, make sure you stay safe and have an adult supervising you while you cut wires, use hot glue, or scissors.
8. Make sure you have fun!