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To bring relevance to the concepts of nuclear science these lessons use real world scenarios of societal importance that require nuclear science expertise. Students apply concepts used in nuclear
Nova Dirty Bomb Website
Nova Dirty Bomb Video Clip
Nova News Minute forensic science to gain understanding of their environment and situations reported in news media.
Make sure students know have an idea of what nuclear forensics science is. Discuss the difference between nuclear forensic scientists and law enforcement officers. Nuclear forensic scientists gather evidence to provide information to law enforcers. The law enforcers use this information to carry out investigations .
Nuclear forensic scientists try to answer:
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What radioactive isotopes a substance is composed of, and the ratio of these isotopes?
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Was the material processed or is it naturally occurring?
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If the material was processed, when and how was it processed?
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Are there any additional pieces of information that might assist law enforcement officers, such as likely places the substance may have been?
Nuclear forensic law enforcement officers try to determine:
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Where has the substance been?
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How did the substance got from one place to another?
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Who was involved with its production and/or transport?
The science of nuclear forensics involves many different scientists with expertise in many different areas. The very first questions nuclear forensics personnel answer involves determining the type of radiation emitted, the isotopes present, and if the material was processed or natural.
Consider showing a video clip. One video clip that will bring the need for nuclear forensics teams alive for your students is from the NOVA program “Dirty Bomb”. This clip is available at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/preview/i_3007.html
or conduct an internet search using the key words “NOVA, dirty bomb”. The full video may be available from your local public library.
The first 2:11 minutes are an introduction to the topic of dirty bombs and a discussion of the dirty bomb found in Chechnya. After the initial discussions, the report describes what would happen if terrorists were to explode a dirty bomb in the center of a city.
Consider showing an additional video clip that will help clarify the difference between a dirty bomb and a nuclear bomb/weapon.
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If you have the full NOVA: Dirty Bomb video, the segment from 5:19-7:34
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The NOVA News Minute clip “Radiation Terror” (available online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/minutes/i_3007.html
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These clips describe that a dirty bomb is not a nuclear weapon. This clip discusses the difficulty in making nuclear bombs. It also discusses the difficulty associated with making a “successful” radiological dispersal device, or dirty bomb. The idea of a “dirty bomb” is effective in creating fear. We are frightened of radiation because we know it is harmful, and we can’t see it, smell it, or feel it. This fear is similar to the fear that some feel when considering nuclear energy. A goal of these lessons is to help students learn more about radiation sources and their affects in order to encourage them to use their critical thinking skills to guide their decisions with respect to issues involving nuclear science rather than their phobias.
Before the video, hand out the student activity sheet OR write the questions on the board .
Ask students to keep these questions in mind as they watch the video. Then show one or two of the videos above . After viewing the clip, have a brief class discussion focused on student responses to the video clip. Students’ responses should be similar to those listed after each question.