Project: Nuclear Paddle
January 23rd, 2008
activeprojects, games, ideas, scienceThis is a skeleton design for an action science game in Flash, which teaches the atomic particles and elements of the periodic table, and implements basic concepts of nuclear interactions and decay.
The player controls a paddle holding an atom, and tries to construct bigger atoms by absorbing the protons, neutrons, and electrons that bounce around the playing field. These particles obey caricatured but accurate laws of physics[1].
The player can exert force on either side of the paddle; the paddle moves more slowly the higher it gets. Without force, it naturally comes to rest at the bottom of the playing field. I have a crude implementation (use the left and right arrow keys) of this mechanism.
The effect of merging a particle with the atom on the player’s paddle depends on the particle:
- a neutrons will increase the weight (score);
- a proton will increase the weight, charge, and atomic number;
- an electron will decrease the charge.
The player’s atom vibrates with speed corresponding to its probability of decay, and will eject a neutron, or an alpha particle, or a beta particle, or even fission into two elements, according to our understanding of nuclear physics. In the case of fission, the paddle holds onto the heavier isotope.[2]
The line below the playing field shows the current row of the periodic table, and the current element is highlighted. Whenever the element changes, a human voice says the name of the new element being held by the paddle. Protons and electrons are repelled by or attracted to the atom in proportion to its charge, when it is not charge-neutral.
The player’s goal is to construct an atom of Uranum-238 (bonus points for transuranic elements). Different elements (or entires waves) may afford the player various abilities or liabilities, making the game harder and more fun. Free neutrons decay into protons and thus the game becomes harder–protons can only merge in a head-on collision if the atom is positively charged.
Rows of the periodic table are natural game “waves”, and the injection of a batch of new particles would be restricted to between these waves. A free demo would consist of the first wave, from Hydrogen to Neon.
[1] The relevant laws of physics:
- Neutrons decay (to p+/e-) according to a fixed probability;
- Neutrons merge with other neutrons (inducing the above decay immediately), or with protons, in either case making deuterium.
- Protons may merge with other protons, but only if they collide head-on; otherwise the electromagnetic (wawawa) force will deflect their paths.
- Electrons don’t merge with other particles, except under duress with protons to make a neutron (beta capture–boink).
[2] The player’s atom is subject to nuclear decay: with an abundance of neutrons either ejecting a neutron or converting a neutron to a proton, emitting a slow (non-nuclear) electron; with an abundance of protons, converting one to a neutron and emitting a positron; in either case emitting an alpha (2p/2n) particle; and with heavier elements, fissioning into two smaller elements.
Update 1/27: Posted ads on craigslist for a Flash developer and an art director.
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2 Responses to “Project: Nuclear Paddle”
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That’s awesome… I’m in if you need help
I think the background music should be the music from “Fratelli Car Chase” in the beginning of Goonies, because I happened to be trying your prototype with it playing loudly in the background, and it was a religious experience.