If you’re the parent of an inquisitive tween who longs for intricate details to define exactly how things work; a child who is far more interested in finding out how the actual television picture appears on the screen rather than indulging in an episode of SpongeBob Square Pants, then this Mini-Rutherford Laboratory is the educational tool for him. But parents- don’t try this at home! This is a tool reserved for trained physics professionals- or in other words- your child’s teacher.
Here’s the breakdown:
How it works: Tweens roll and shoot different sized multicolored marbles and map their rebound paths to determine the size and shape of hidden objects.
Gender: Both.
Age: Designed for physics students in middle school.
The Educational value: Kids will learn how to determine the shape of an atomic nucleus (represented by the unknown blocks) with the use of accelerated particles (represented by the marbles) by mapping their deflection paths.
Best features: A fun and active way to learn about particle and atomic physics.
Difficult features: Large particles are wider than height of blocks. You’ll need to set it up on a table or floor at least four feet in diameter and one word of caution; the marbles may go all so be prepared to chase down scattered marbles.
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