> Atoms and nuclei

Through the experiments in this topic, students can develop their own ideas of what is inside an atom. They will experience the wonder of seeing the path of beta particles change when they pass through a magnetic field, and realising that even these invisible particles obey known laws of physics by moving according to Fleming’s left hand motor rule.

Experiment collections Ionising the air Counting ions and ionisation Cloud chambers Ionising radiations and their properties Exponential decay and half life Model of the atom Electron beams (cathode rays) From electrons to electronics Properties of the electron

Guidance Managing radioactive materials in schools Radioactive sources: isotopes and availability Nature of ionising radiations First models of the atom Developing a model of the atom: radioactive atoms Evidence for the hollow atom The great scattering experiments Alpha particles as tools Exponential decay of a radioactive substance Light behaving like a particle Electrons behaving as waves The electron Putting together a scheme of work