2018 Applications of Radioactivity Workbook
You'll learn ideas about radioactivity that link to applications such as smoke alarms,
nuclear power, carbon dating. You will explain your chosen application as you
complete the internal assessment.
Physics 2.5 Achievement Standard Physics 91172 version 1: Demonstrate
understanding of atomic and nuclear physics (ver 2) (3 credits)
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
Achievement with Excellence
Demonstrate
understanding of atomic
and nuclear physics.
Demonstrate in-depth
understanding of atomic
and nuclear physics.
Demonstrate comprehensive
understanding of atomic and
nuclear physics.
Due date
Monday 7/5/2018 time 8:50am
Where you see a yellow box like this in this evidence - complete the activity or answer the questions in this box
- this is evidence that will be counted toward the assessment
Timeline of topics week by week
TERM 1
Week 6
7
8
9
12-Mar
19-Mar
26-Mar
2-Apr
The atom and
radioactive
particles
Nuclear
reactions
Nuclear
reactions
Fission, fusion
and energy
Fission, fusion
and energy
10
Term 2 - Week
1
9-Apr 7th May
Decay and half
life
Review
collection of
evidence for
assessment
Your chosen
topic
Good Friday
Easter Monday
and Tuesday
Final
Assessment
Due date
WEEK 2
Mon 7th of May
Time 8:50am
Where you see a yellow box like this in this evidence - complete the activity or answer the questions in this box
- you can include pictures of the work you have completed on education perfect as necessary.
1.Development of a Theory
Complete this summary showing the progression of the atomic model:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X-kv4XGU8C1fG9aAQFcB3xWed596I9HsXKur-Hn1dnM/edit?usp
=sharing
Insert a screenshot of you completed summary:
2.Atomic Structure​ - ​Complete this table
Number of ​protons​ in
one atom of this element
Number of ​electrons​ in
one atom of this element
Number of ​neutrons​ in
one atom of this element
Here’s a link to a handy periodic table that might help
http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/tableofelementsc.pdf
3.Decay Particles and their Properties
Complete the table or insert a picture of your completed table for the decay particles.
Use the match up cards to help you complete the table in your
milestone booklet.
4. Balanced Nuclear Equations
Use the laws of conservation for nucleon and atomic numbers to complete this worksheet and insert an image
below.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNiKBwVIH-44k-wQ9hDx0cFOla-6TJdaHQZ8_v9uNdY/edit?usp=sharin
g
5. Half - Life
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1NA__gwfXfgscMQF1uIt8zJOhRBFh0PQU
Use the following words and the graph provided to help define half life.
time
atom
decay
Using half life to problem solve
Your teacher will provide some exercises for you
to practice using half life to problem solve eg
calculating the age of an object. Insert your
evidence here e.g. a photo or scan of your book or
a worksheet.
6. Fission and Fusion
Insert an image this activity completed!!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1liunMgRBrO1sKuaCzomTMkPs0bETLJrxSYb5yDAzuJM/edit?usp=shari
ng
7. Energy calculations
Insert an image this activity completed!!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y3WpfDzp39HYuYf0w_A5ZYolXMN19OsLyJqiNsMlWNQ/edit?usp=shari
ng
Applications of Radioactivity
-----
​(Carbon dating
as exemplar)
You will research one of the following topics, and explain the physics of radioactivity that links to that topic.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Nuclear power generation -​ Fission reactors
Nuclear weapons – ​Fission bombs
Domestic ​Smoke Detectors​ (ionisation detectors)
Radioisotope therapy​ (brachytherapy) for cancer treatment
Resources to start you off:
www.atomicarchive.com/sciencemenu.shtml​ atomic archive also has videos of nuclear weapon tests.
www.howstuffworks.com
Wikipedia (a reliable source for ​scientific i​ nformation, but often too technical)
ESA level 2 physics study guide (available from the library) - has general information and also a good source
for smoke detector information.
Phet.colorado.edu​ ​This has a carbon dating simulation
http://www.nndc.bnl.gov/chart/​ this chart can tell you the half-life of nuclei. Find the nucleus, click, and T1/2 will
be shown at the bottom, in seconds, minutes, hours, or years.
Linking the physics ideas to your chosen topic
Link the principles of radioactivity to the use of 1 particular element in your chosen context. These
principles are based on the activities you completed prior to choosing your research topic.
The more in depth your explanation for each question the better your grade will be.
Explanations must be in your own words - you may not copy and paste from websites or other
students work.
BE SURE TO LINK TO THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE COLLECTED ABOVE:
YOUR REPORT SHOULD INCLUDE:
●
●
●
●
●
●
Brief description of your application.
Description of the key element and its decay process
○ Atomic Structure, Half-life
Description the properties of a particle emitted during decay, include balanced equations
Appropriate use of keywords, fission, fusion, chain reaction, ionisation, penetration.
Show calculations of mass and energy using E = mc2​ ​ and power P = E/t.
Discussion of 3 links between the properties of the radioactive element and the context.
You must include a list of all references you have used to help you answer the questions above.
This par​t
- Your chosen topic
What is your chosen topic?
My chosen topic is: (write it here)
Research your chosen topic - insert links to websites and summarise the key information
for each website in your own words you have used here:
Describe the key physics ideas about radioactivity that link to your chosen
application
In your own words write a short description of your topic e
​ .g. what is carbon dating
MAIN RADIOACTIVE ELEMENT:
What is the main radioactive element in your chosen application? Write it down here with it’s mass number and
atomic number (or insert a picture) and describe how many protons, electrons and neutrons are present in one
atom.
Atomic Structure
Describe the particle it emits when it decays: (Include size, structure, speed, ionisation strength and
penetration strength)
HALF-LIFE AND DECAY
What is the definition of half life?
What is the half-life of the radioactive element above and how is this property useful in your chosen
context? (You may insert a graph showing it’s half life if you want).
Find the nuclear equation for the decay reaction that occurs in your chosen topic:
State the conservation laws (Charge number and nucleon number) that apply to the nuclear equation
and show how each is fulfilled in the equation.
Describe whether the nuclear reaction above shows fission or fusion, and how you can tell by looking
at the nuclear equation
REALLY IMPORTANT BIT
Discuss 3 links between the properties of the radioactive element and the context.