CompuServe Messages

I'm trying to learn more about particle animation in Imagine 2.9 (for DOS). I'd like to give an example of what I'm trying to do, and just see what everyone has to say –because I'm lost 🙁 I place a ground object into the stage editor (at its default position). Then I place a sphere right above it (and of course there's a light source). QUESTION: How can I make the sphere smoothly go from being a normal sphere to exploding, then all it's pieces bounce on the ground? QUESTION2: If that was an easy answer, then is there also a way to make the sphere do the same animation, but start exploding from the top until it reaches the bottom — and there's nothing left but a pile of rubble on the ground? I would really appreciate your help as I'm very new at using 3D software packages, and I hardly understand some of the terms in the Imagine list boxes.