This educational brief provides an overview of the concepts of radioactivity, basic particle physics, and the use of radioactive decay as a mechanism to date our galaxy.
The following information will help you understand the Periodic Table of the Isotopes.
Elements: Each element has a fixed number of positively charged protons in its nucleus and an equal number of electrons orbiting the nucleus. For example, hydrogen (H) has one proton and one electron, but lead (Pb) has 82 protons and 82 electrons. There are about 115 known elements of which 82 are naturally abundant.
Isotopes: The nucleus contains both protons and neutrons. An element has a fixed number of protons but may exist with various numbers of neutrons. The sum of the protons and neutrons is the mass number. For example, helium exists as 3He(2 protons and one neutron) or as 4He (2 protons and 2 neutrons). The two forms of helium are called isotopes of helium. Isotopes of an element have the same chemical properties but different weights. Some elements have many isomers. Tin (Sn) has about 38 known isotopes. ~
This lesson plan explores the fundamentals of atoms and their structure. The building blocks of matter (protons, electrons, neutrons) are covered in detail. Students think about how atoms and molecules can influence new technologies developed by engineers.
In this activity, students make a model of a lithium atom using gumdrops and toothpicks. Using this model, they investigate the makeup of an atom, including its relative size. Students also practice adding and subtracting electrons from an atom and determining the overall charges on atoms.
This film briefly considers the nature of atoms as an introduction to an educational unit on the health effects of ionizing radiation (radioactivity). Educational concepts include atoms, nucleus, proton, neutron, electron, element, isotope, electrical charges, and ions. This instructional film is from Kansas State University's web-based course, GENAG 711, Occupational and Agricultural Health. Copyright 2011, Mitch Ricketts.
This film examines the process of radioactive decay as part of an educational unit on the health effects of ionizing radiation (radioactivity). Educational concepts include radioisotope, radioactive decay, alpha radiation, beta radiation, gamma radiation, x-radiation, decay chain, and half-life. This instructional film is from Kansas State University's web-based course, GENAG 711, Occupational and Agricultural Health. Copyright 2011, Mitch Ricketts.
Are all atoms of an element the same? How can you tell one isotope from another? Use the sim to learn about isotopes and how abundance relates to the average atomic mass of an element.
Web page for the dissemination of information about nuclear data
This unit covers introductory concepts of mixtures and solutions. Students think about how mixtures and solutions, and atoms and molecules can influence new technologies developed by engineers. The first lesson explores the fundamentals of atoms and their structure. The building blocks of matter (protons, electrons, neutrons) are covered in detail. The next lesson examines the properties of elements and the periodic table one method of organization for the elements. The concepts of physical and chemical properties are also reviewed. Finally, the last lesson introduces the properties of mixtures and solutions. A comparison of different mixtures and solutions, their properties and their separation qualities are discussed.
This course introduces fundamental properties of the neutron. It covers reactions induced by neutrons, nuclear fission, slowing down of neutrons in infinite media, diffusion theory, the few-group approximation, point kinetics, and fission-product poisoning. It emphasizes the nuclear physics bases of reactor design and its relationship to reactor engineering problems.
This lesson provides an overview of basic atomic structure and the concept of radioactive decay. Topics include the particles that make up an atom, binding forces, and the concept of isotopes. There is also discussion of decay methods and half-life.
Introduction to reactor dynamics including subcritical multiplication, critical operation in absence of thermal feedback effects and effects of Xenon, fuel and moderator temperature, etc. Derivation of point kinetics and dynamic period equations. Techniques for reactor control including signal validation, supervisory algorithms, model-based trajectory tracking, and rule-based control. Overview of light-water reactor startup. Lectures and demonstrations with computer simulation and the use of the MIT Research Reactor.
The purpose of this course is to discuss modern techniques of generation of x-ray photons and neutrons and then follow with selected applications of newly developed photon and neutron scattering spectroscopic techniques to investigations of properties of condensed matter which are of interest to nuclear engineers.
Students come to understand static electricity by learning about the nature of electric charge, and different methods for charging objects. In a hands-on activity, students induce an electrical charge on various objects, and experiment with electrical repulsion and attraction.
This lesson plan examines the properties of elements and the periodic table. Students learn the basic definition of an element and the 18 elements that build most of the matter in the universe. The periodic table is described as one method of organization for the elements. The concepts of physical and chemical properties are also reviewed.
X-rays and x-ray fluorescence are not new subjects to the field of physics. Wilhelm Röntgen discovered x-rays in 1895, and in 1901 he was awarded the very first Nobel Prize in physics for this discovery. Soon after, Charles Glover Barkla discovered that each element has its own characteristic x-ray spectrum. He was awarded a Nobel Prize in physics for this discovery in 1917. Sir William Henry Bragg and his son, Sir William Lawrence Bragg, were then able to experimentally prove that the discrete electron energy levels of an atom, an idea proposed by Niels Bohr, actually existed. They were awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for this in 1915. After this groundwork in x-ray spectroscopy was established, Henry Moseley showed that each elements characteristic x-ray energy spectrum followed the predictions of the Bohr atomic model.
