Set up a line of objects so that when the first one moves, it knocks into the next, and the next, and the next. The materials are things you already have at home.
You don't need to be a scientist or an engineer. You just need to be curious about what happens next.
A chain reaction is when one object hits the next and passes its energy along. You see it in dominoes falling, a marble bumping a book, a ball rolling down a ramp.
Use objects from around your home to build the longest chain reaction you can.
Swap anything you don't have for something similar.
Three moves to get you started. Mix and match them to build something longer.
Marble seesaw. Balance a ruler on a cork or cylinder. Place a marble at one end. Push a book onto the other end to send the marble rolling forward. The heavier the book, the further the marble goes.
Zip line. Tie string tightly from a high point to a low point. Hang something with a bit of weight from it and let it slide down to hit the next part of your chain.
Ball slide. Roll cardboard or a paper tube into a ramp and fix it in place with tape. Let a ball or marble roll down from high to low into the next object.
Begin with just two objects. Stand one up so it falls when pushed, and place the second where the first will hit it. Test it. Once two objects work together reliably, add a third.
If you are not sure where to start, line up three heavy books in a row and push the first one over.
Once you have a chain running, try:
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Chain reactions often take a few tries to get right. A chain that mostly works is still a chain reaction.
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Institute of Imagination