MIDDLE SCHOOL – Task 4_ Ionizing Radiation
Grade
Topic
Time/Deadline allowed
Name of the Student*
Date*
Global Context
Key Concept
Related Concept
Statement of Inquiry
10
Radioactivity
25 November 2020 11:55pm
Subject
Physics
Time Taken*
Scientific and Technical Innovation
Relationship
Energy, Evidence, Consequences
The consequences of using energy in our search for scientific and technological
advancements provide evidence on the relationship between humans and nature.
(*To be filled by the student)
Task :
Give 1 example of a ‘recorded’ case of a negative health effect of ionizing particle radiation. Discuss the
following:
• location (city or country),
• source of ionizing radiation,
• health effects (e.g. symptoms),
• if available -statistical data of the health effect, and
• show your sources of information in APA format.
Sample work:
Harry Daghlian (1921-1945) was an American
physicist. He died in 1945 from radiation poisoning
after a criticality accident at Los Alamos.
At Los Alamos, Daghlian was assigned to Otto
Frisch's criticality group, working at the Omega Site.
He conducted dangerous criticality experiments to
determine the critical masses of fissile materials .
He died after accidentally creating a critical mass with
a plutonium core. The photo on the left shows Harry's
hand after he had manually stopped a prompt critical
fission reaction. This is called radiation burn. He received a dose of 5.1 Sv. He died 16 days after this
photo was taken.
International School of Nursultan/ Middle School/ Home Work Sheet/2020-2021
Sources:
“Harry Daghlian.” Atomic Heritage Foundation, National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, 4 May
1921, www.atomicheritage.org/profile/harry-daghlian.
Wellerstein, Alex. “Here Be Dragons.” Restricted Data: The Nuclear Secrecy Blog, 20 Nov. 2015,
blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2015/11/20/here-be-dragons/.
a.
alpha particle
____ several lead bricks
b.
beta particle
____ paper
c.
gamma ray
____ thin piece of lead
International School of Nursultan/ Middle School/ Home Work Sheet/2020-2021