Modelling Nuclear Physics with M&Ms (11-16)

Have you ever wondered how scientists can determine the age of a fossil or ancient relic? The secret is at the heart of an atom! Certain types of atoms give off particles and energy over time, a process called radioactive decay. This can happen very quickly, over seconds, or over millions of years. By observing radioactive decay, physicists can measure time on tiny or enormous scales. At this event, we’ll learn more about the process and model it in an eye-opening and very delicious way – with chocolate. Expert: Dr. Gwen Grinyer is an experimental nuclear physicist and an Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Regina.