Nuclear Science

Nuclear Chart

The colorful Nuclear Science Chart shows what are the parts of the nucleus, what are the heaviest elements, and how nuclear particles interact. It explains radioactive decay and the sources of nuclear energy. It examines nuclear matter that can only be made in the laboratory. It shows how matter evolved from the start of our Universe to present time. Finally, several examples of the applications of Nuclear Science are illustrated.

The chart includes results from nuclear interactions studied all over the world including the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, where the energy of the collisions are more than 100 times greater than those used to discover the Higgs boson. These results give us a glimpse at the Universe when it was many fractions of seconds old.

Guide to Nuclear Wall Chart

Created in conjunction with the Nuclear Science Wall Chart, this site a web version of A Teacher’s Guide to the Nuclear Science Wall Chart which is available on the web as PDF or on paper as a booklet.

Resources:

Nuclear Websites for Education:

Navigating Nuclear, American Nuclear Society

Virtual Field Trips, American Nuclear Society

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) k-12

The ABC's of Nuclear Science:

The ABC’s of Nuclear Science is a brief introduction to Nuclear Science. We look at Antimatter, Beta rays, Cosmic connection and much more. Visit here and learn about radioactivity – alpha, beta and gamma decay. Find out the difference between fission and fusion. Learn about the structure of the atomic nucleus. Learn how elements on the earth were produced. Do you know that you are being bombarded constantly by nuclear radiation from the Cosmos? Discover if there are radioactive products found in a grocery store. Do you know if you have ever eaten radioactive food? Find out what materials are needed to shield us from alpha, beta, gamma, radiation. Discover what have we gained by its study.

Other Resources:

The Cosmic Connection

The Berkeley Lab Cosmic Ray Telescope Project

Phet on alpha decay

Study the concept of Alpha decay and Half-life by observing either a large group of unstable nuclei or a single nucleus. A standard emitter can be chosen or “create-your-own” by choosing the half-life. Observe either the amount of originals (parents) remaining compared to decay products (daughters) versus time or watch one nuclei to see how long it can last before decaying. Using variations, the meaning of half-life and that it is a statistical process can be shown.

Phet on beta decay

Study the concept of Beta decay and Half-life by observing either a large group of unstable nuclei or a single nucleus. Choose from two standard emitter or “create-your-own” by choosing the half-life. Observe either the amount of originals (parents) remaining compared to decay products (daughters) versus time or watch one nuclei to see how long it can last before decaying. Using variations, the meaning of half-life and that it is a statistical process can be shown.

Phet on radioactive dating and half-life

Multifaceted Phet starting with the concepts of half-life and decay rates. In the Measurement section, determine when measuring the amount of C-14 or U-238 decays is the right tool in determining the length of time since an organism has died or a volcanic rock has cooled. Prove your skills at mastering these concepts by playing the Radioactive Dating Game. Choose an object and use the given information to determine how much time has passed since the object was alive.

students grade 7-12. nuclear-science-educational-materials:

A wide spectrum of outreach programs, lesson plans and games targeted at age groups from K-12 to the general public. Teacher resources are also provided.