Nuclear Science Marble Demonstrations

Lessons about reactions and nuclei are available to middle and high school students. These are downloadable lectures and demonstrations about Nuclear science at a level appropriate to 7th-12th graders. Covered in these demonstrations are the kinds of nuclear decay, different nuclear reactions, and isotopes. The rules for nuclear reactions are shown in an accessible and visually stimulating way using magnetic marbles to stand in for the particles in the nucleus and the magnetic forces to help explain the forces in the nucleus of an atom. These demonstrations are also used in presentations and classes at both Notre Dame and MSU and are available for download at http://www.jinaweb.org/outreach/marble/. Any questions can be directed to Dr. Micha Kilburn at