Atom Forge

What your child will figure out

• Predict an atom's element from its proton count before building it.
• Explain why changing neutrons changes mass but not identity or charge.
• Explain why changing electrons changes charge but not identity or mass number.
• Transfer all three particle rules from a scratch build, then practise generated atoms as adaptive reactor power responds to performance.

The levels

1. Identity ignition

   Predict, build, observe, and explain neutral hydrogen.

2. Isotope tuning

   Tune helium-4 into helium-3 and explain what the neutron changed.

3. Ion charge

   Give oxygen a 2− charge and explain the electron rule.

4. Element switch

   Turn carbon into nitrogen and explain why identity changes.

5. Transfer trial

   Forge nitrogen-14 with charge 3− from scratch and explain all three rules.