Continuing our exploration of different types of Making and gathering inspiration to make and create, Curiosity Corner, the Scott Family Amazeum museum store, is highlighting Chain Reactions! A Chain Reaction can be defined as a contraption with a cycle of triggers that when set off, the results cause another trigger to be released and continues in this cycle until the contraption ends—complicated in words, yes, but seeing it in action will make sense!

In this example of a Chain Reaction the first piece is released to tip over and thus releases all of the other pieces to tip creating a huge Chain Reaction. To learn more about Chain Reactions and how to interact and explore the concept through activities, check out Exploratorium’s blog on creating and making Chain Reactions!

For easy exploration and more in-depth learning of Chain Reactions, Curiosity Corner has different kits and products available for at-home fun! Keva Contraptions is more of a traditional Chain Reaction that includes building blocks that can create paths for a ball-like objects to follow or towers for larger chain reactions.

To create a more complex Chain Reaction kit, try the Zig & Go Action Reaction which includes multiple additive features such as a car that carries the marble and a whirlpool that the marble goes down to enter the next part of the contraption.

Now that you know about Chain Reactions go have fun and make your own Chain Reaction! Make sure to tag @theamazeum when posting about your Chain Reactions creations and exploration! We would also love to see ways you explore Chain Reactions, show us by emailing us at curiositycorner@amazeum.org.