I.
Grade Level/Unit Number:
9-12 Unit 14
II:
Unit Title:
Nuclear Chemistry
III.
Unit Length:
4 days (on a 90 min. per day block schedule)
IV.
Major Learning Outcomes:
Students should be able to:
Nuclear Chemistry






V.
Use the symbols for and distinguish between alpha (42He), and beta (-10e)
nuclear particles, and gamma (γ) radiation include relative mass..
Use shorthand notation of particles involved in nuclear equations to balance and
solve for unknowns. Example: The neutron is represented by (01n).
Discuss the penetrating ability of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation.
Conceptually describe nuclear decay, including:
o Decay as a random event, independent of other energy influences
o Using symbols to represent simple balanced decay equations
o Half-life (including simple calculations).
Contrast fission and fusion.
Cite illustrations of the uses of nuclear energy, including, but not limited to:
electricity, carbon-14 dating, and radioisotopes for medicine (tracers, ionizing
radiation, gamma sterilization, etc).
Content Objectives Includes (with RBT Tags):
Objective Objective
Number
4.03
Analyze nuclear energy.
 Radioactivity: characteristics of alpha, beta and
gamma radiation.
 Decay equations for alpha and beta emission.
 Half-life.
 Fission and fusion.
RBT
Tag
C4
VI.
English Language Development Objectives (ELD) Included:
NC English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standard 4 (2008) for Limited English
Proficiency Students (LEP)- English Language learners communicate information,
ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of science.
Suggestions for modified instruction and scaffolding for LEP students and/or students
who need additional support are embedded in the unit plan and/or are added at the end
of the corresponding section of the lessons. The amount of scaffolding needed will
depend on the level of English proficiency of each LEP student. Therefore, novice level
Chemistry- Unit 14
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students will need more support with the language needed to understand and
demonstrate the acquisition of concepts than intermediate or advanced students.
VII.
Materials/Equipment Needed
Activity
Determining & Graphing the Half-Life of
Twizzlers
Graphical Representation of Half-Life:
Determining & Graphing the Half-Life of
M & Mium
Materials
Twizzlers
Graph paper
M & Ms
Graph paper
White paper
Plastic cups
VIII.
Detailed Content Description:
Please see the detailed content description for each objective in the chemistry support
document. The link to this downloadable document is in the Chemistry Standard
Course of Study at:
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/science/scos/2004/24chemistry
IX.
Unit Notes:
This unit is focused on the concept of nuclear chemistry. Students should be able to
distinguish between alpha, beta, and gamma radiation and compare penetrating
abilities. They will learn how to balance nuclear equations and solve unknowns.
Students will distinguish between fission and fusion and be able to describe modern
uses of nuclear energy.
In each unit, Goal 1 objectives which relate to the process of scientific investigation are
included. In each of the units, students will be practicing the processes of science:
observing, hypothesizing, collecting data, analyzing, and concluding. The Goal 1
Objectives are as follows:
COMPETENCY GOAL 1: The learner will develop abilities necessary to do and
understand scientific inquiry.
1.01 Design, conduct and analyze investigations to answer
questions related to chemistry.
 Identify questions and suggest hypotheses.
 Identify variables.
 Use a control when appropriate.
 Select and use appropriate measurement tools.
 Collect and organize data in tables, charts and
graphs.
Chemistry- Unit 14
This goal and these objectives
are an integral part of each of
the other goals. In order to
measure and investigate
scientific phenomena, students
must be given the opportunity to
design and conduct their own
investigations in a safe
laboratory. The students should
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




Analyze and interpret data.
Explain observations.
Make inferences and predictions.
Explain the relationship between evidence and
explanation.
Identify how scientists share findings.
use questions and models to
formulate the relationship
identified in their investigations
and then report and share those
finding with others
Students will be able to:
 Identify questions and
suggest hypotheses.
 Identify variables.
 Use a control when
appropriate.
 Select and use appropriate
measurement tools.
 Collect and organize data in
tables, charts and graphs.
 Analyze and interpret data.
 Explain observations.
 Make inferences and
predictions.
 Use questions and models to
determine the relationships
between variables in
investigations.
 Identify how scientists share
findings.
If a teacher follows this curriculum (s)he will have addressed the goals and objectives of
the SCOS. However, teachers may want to substitute other activities that teach the
same concept. The unit length has extra time built in for quizzes, going over
homework, additional practice depending on the nature of the class, and
assessment. Teachers should utilize the textbook as a resource by assigning
homework each day and providing additional guided and independent practice.
Reference Tables:
The North Carolina Chemistry Reference Tables were developed to provide essential
information that should be used on a regular basis by students, therefore eliminating the
need for memorization. It is suggested that a copy be provided to each student on the
first day of instruction. A copy of the reference tables can be downloaded at the
following URL:
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/curriculum/science/scos/2004/chemistry/referencet
ables.pdf
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Essential Questions:
Essential questions for this unit are embedded within the unit. Essential questions are
those questions that lead to student understanding. Students should be able to answer
these questions at the end of an activity. Teachers are advised to put these questions
up in a prominent place in the classroom. The questions can be answered in a journal
format as a closure.
Safety: Students should wear chemical splash goggles during any lab activity involving
chemicals. This includes household substances. It is extremely important for the
safety and success of your students that you do ALL activities and labs prior to
assigning them to students. At the beginning of each lab, the teacher should address
any specific safety concerns relating to the activity.
Computer Based Activities:
Several of the recommended activities are computer based and require students to visit
various internet sites and view animations of various biological processes. These
animations require various players and plug-ins which may or may not already be
installed on your computers. Additionally some districts have firewalls that block
downloading these types of files. Before assigning these activities to students it is
essential for the teacher to try them on the computers that the students will use and to
consult with the technology or media specialist if there are issues. These animations
also have sound. Teachers may wish to provide headphones if possible.
X.
Global Content: Aligned with 21st Skills
One of the goals of the unit plans is to provide strategies that will enable educators to
develop the 21st Century skills for their students. As much as students need to master
the NCSOS goals and objectives, they need to master the skills that develop problem
solving strategies, as well as the creativity and innovative thinking skills that have
become critical in today’s increasingly interconnected workforce and society. The
Partnership for 21st Century Skills website is provided below for more information about
the skills and resources related to the 21st Century classroom.
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Ite
mid=120
NC SCS
Chemistry
1.01 & 4.03
21st Century Skills
Communication Skills
Conveying thought or opinions effectively
Activity


1.01 & 4.03
Nuclear Equation
Problems
Half Life Problems
When presenting information,
distinguishing between relevant and
irrelevant information
Chemistry- Unit 14
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1.01 & 4.03
Explaining a concept to others


1.01 & 4.03
1.01 & 4.03
1.01 & 4.03
1.01 & 4.03
1.01 & 4.03
1.01 & 4.03
1.01 & 4.03
4.03
1.01 & 4.03
4.03
Interviewing others or being interviewed
Computer Knowledge
Using word-processing and database
programs
Developing visual aides for presentations
Using a computer for communication
Learning new software programs
Employability Skills
Assuming responsibility for own learning
Persisting until job is completed
Working independently
Developing career interest/goals
Responding to criticism or questions
Information-retrieval Skills
Searching for information via the
computer
Searching for print information
Searching for information using
community members
Language Skills - Reading
Following written directions
Identifying cause and effect relationships
Summarizing main points after reading
Nuclear Equation
Problems
Half Life Problems
All activities

Nuclear Equation
Problems

Half Life Problems
Most of the activities can
be presented as
opportunities for students
to follow written directions.
The teacher will have to
work with most students to
develop this skill over
time. The following
activities are well suited to
developing skills in
following directions:

Nuclear Equation
Problems

Half Life Problems


Nuclear Equation
Problems
Half Life Problems
Locating and choosing appropriate
reference materials
Reading for personal learning
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1.01 & 4.03
1.01 & 4.03
1.01 & 4.03
1.01 & 4.03
1.01 & 4.03
Language Skill - Writing
Using language accurately
Organizing and relating ideas when
writing
Proofing and Editing
Synthesizing information from several
sources
Documenting sources
Developing an outline
Writing to persuade or justify a position
Creating memos, letters, other forms of
correspondence
Teamwork
Taking initiative
Working on a team
Thinking/Problem-Solving Skills
Identifying key problems or questions
Evaluating results
Developing strategies to address
problems
Developing an action plan or timeline
All activities
ENGAGE: (30 minutes)
Determining & Graphing the Half-Life of Twizzlers
This activity will engage students as they are introduced to the term half-life and how it
is related to radioactive elements. Students will do part the M&Mium activity later in the
unit.
This activity was developed through a project called the Science Behind our Food which
was supported by a grant through the National Science Foundation. Please see the link
below:
http://www.uga.edu/discover/sbof/
Essential Question:
How are half-life related to a radioactive element?
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EXPLAIN:
Have students to present their answers and graphs from the Half-Life of Twizzlers
activity to the class. Instruct them to explain their reasoning.
ELABORATE: (10 minutes)
Nuclear Reactions


The teacher will begin the discussion by explaining the difference between
nuclear reactions with ordinary chemical reactions.
Explain that the nucleus of a radioactive element spontaneously decomposes.
Essential Question:
What distinguishes a nuclear reaction from an ordinary chemical reaction?
Language (ELP) Objectives for LEP Students:
 In written paragraph or chart form, compare and contrast nuclear
reactions and chemical reactions using key vocabulary: radioactive,
elements, isotopes, decomposition, atoms, etc.
 Verbally share conclusions with partner and or class.
Nuclear Reactions & Ordinary Chemical Reactions
Regular chemical reactions involve only the out electrons of atoms. In a chemical
reaction, elements do not change from one to another.
2H2 + O2  2H2O
Nuclear reactions involve the atomic nucleus.
When an atomic nucleus changes, it is very probable that the products will be different
elements than the reactants.
238
U
92

4
234
Th +
90
He
2
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Many nuclei are radioactive.
This means they are unstable and will decay by emitting a particle, transforming the
nucleus into another nucleus, or into a lower energy state.
A chain of decays takes place until a stable nucleus is reached.
ELABORATE: (10 minutes)
Nuclear Symbols
The teacher will explain the nuclear symbols: alpha, beta, neutron and gamma. The
penetrating ability should be compared.
Essential Question:
What types of radiation exist and how harmful are they?
Language (ELP) Objectives for LEP Students:
 Define key vocabulary: alpha, beta, neutron, and gamma. How do they relate to the
study of nuclear chemistry?
 In written form, discuss the essential question on the types of radiation and how
they are harmful.
Nuclear Symbols
Alpha particle, 
Beta particle, an electron, 
Neutron
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While all particles produced by the decay of an atomic nucleus have the energy to
penetrate substances, some particles have much more energy than others.
ELABORATE: (20 minutes)
Balancing Nuclear Equations
The teacher should begin the discussion with a review of the superscript/subscript
isotopic notation.
 The teacher should explain how to balance nuclear equations.
o Explain that when writing a nuclear equation, the sums of the mass numbers
and atomic numbers of the reactants must equal the sums of the mass and
atomic numbers of the products.
o Students should check their equations by comparing the sums of the
superscripts and subscripts on each side of the equation.
Essential Question:
How is a nuclear equation balanced?
EVALUATE: (30 minutes)
Balancing Nuclear Equations


This activity will allow students to assess their understanding of balancing
nuclear equations with guided and independent practice.
After students have completed these problems, the teacher will evaluate
students’ understanding by going over the problems with the students.
Essential Question:
How would you balance a nuclear equation?
Balancing Nuclear Equations Practice
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1. Complete and balance these nuclear equations by supplying the missing particles:
a) 6629Cu  6630Zn + _____
b) 0-1e + _____  73Li
c) 2713Al + 42He  3014Si + _____
d) 8537Rb + _____  8235Br + 42He
2. Strontium-90 Has half-life of 28 years. If a 1.00-mg sample was stored for 112 years.
What mass of Sr-90 would remain?
3. Write nuclear equation for the alpha decay of
(a) 19278Pt
(b) 21084Po
4. Write nuclear equations for the beta decay of
(a) 23993Np
(b) 9038Sr
5. Determine the type of emission or emissions (alpha, beta, or gamma) that occurred in
the following transitions:
(a) 21082Pb to 210 82Pb
(b) 23491Pa to 23089Ac to 23090Th
(c) 23490Th to 23088Ra to 23088Ra
6. Complete and balance these nuclear equations by supplying the missing particles:
(a) 2713Al + 42He  3015P + _____
(b) 2714Si  0+1e + _____
(c) _____ + 21H  137N + 10n
(d) _____  8236Kr + 0-1e
7. Strontium-90 has half-life of 28 years. If a sample was tested in 1980 and found to be
emitting 240 counts/ min, in what year would the same sample be found to be emitting
30counts/min? How much of the original Sr-90 would be left?
Chemistry- Unit 14
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Radioactivity
Match the three types of emission with the following ideas. Each may be used once,
more than once, or not at all.
a) alpha
b) beta
c) gamma
___ 1. Two protons and two neutrons
___ 2. High speed electron
___ 3.
___ 4. 42 He
___ 5. Higher energy than x-rays
___ 6.
___ 7. Helium nucleus
___ 8.
0
1
e
Complete the following nuclear equations:
59
1
56
1.
27 Co + 0 n  25 Mn + 
2.
14
6
C 
3.
99
42
Mo   +
4.
235
92
5.
40
19
14
7
N + 
0
1
e +
U   + 
K +  
40
18
0
0
(alpha decay)
Ar
EXPLORE: (45 minutes)
Graphical Representation of Half-Life: Determining & Graphing the Half-Life of
M & Mium
In this activity, students will explore how the half-life of a radioactive element is
determined and how to represent half-life graphically.
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Essential question: How is the half-life of a radioactive element determined and
graphically represented?
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EXPLAIN:
Have students to present their answers and graphs from the Half-Life of M & Mium
activity to the class. Instruct them to explain their reasoning.
ELABORATE: (20 minutes)
Half Life
The teacher will introduce the term “half’-life” and explain to students how it is related to
radioactive elements.
Essential Question: How is the half-life of a radioactive element used to determine
how much of a sample is left after a given period of time?
Language (ELP) Objectives for LEP Students:
 Verbally or in written form, describe the concept of half-life and explain how
it is graphically represented.
Half-Life
The length of time it takes for one-half of the atoms of a radioactive nuclide to
disintegrate.
Half-Life Table
Nuclide
Half-life
Decay Type
6
2
He
0.802 seconds
Beta-minus
1.3 minutes
Alpha and Gamma
12.3 years
Beta-minus
5730 years
Beta-minus
227
92
U
3
1
H
14
6
C
235
92
U
7.1 x 10 8 years Alpha and Gamma
Chemistry- Unit 14
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Many radioactive particles
decay into other
radioactive particles,
however, the final product
of radioactive decay will
always be a stable
substance.
Uranium-238 goes through a
long sequence of decays
before it finally becomes
stable.
The 14 individual decays
that lead from U-238 to Pb206 are shown here.
How many alpha particles
are released?
How many beta particles?
are released?
Chemistry- Unit 14
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EVALUATE: (30 minutes)
Calculating Half-Life
 This activity will allow students to assess their understanding of half-life
calculations with guided and independent practice.
 After students have completed these problems, the teacher will evaluate
students’ understanding by going over the problems with the students.
HALF-LIFE PROBLEMS
1. An isotope of cesium (cesium-137) has a half-life of 30 years. If 1.0 mg of
cesium-137 disintegrates over a period of 90 years, how many mg of cesium-137
would remain?
2. A 2.5 gram sample of an isotope of strontium-90 was formed in a 1960 explosion
of an atomic bomb at Johnson Island in the Pacific Test Site. The half-life of
strontium-90 is 28 years. In what year will only 0.625 grams of this strontium-90
remain?
3. Actinium-226 has a half-life of 29 hours. If 100 mg of actinium-226 disintegrates
over a period of 58 hours, how many mg of actinium-226 will remain?
4. Thallium-201 has a half-life of 73 hours. If 4.0 mg of thallium-201 disintegrates
over a period of 6.0 days and 2 hours, how many mg of thallium-201 will remain?
5. The half-life of isotope X is 2.0 years. How many years would it take for a 4.0 mg
sample of X to decay and have only 0.50 mg of it remain?
6. Selenium-83 has a half-life of 25.0 minutes. How many minutes would it take for
a 10.0 mg sample to decay and have only 1.25 mg of it remain?
7. Element-106 has a half-life of 0.90 seconds. If one million atoms of it were
prepared, how many atoms would remain after 4.5 seconds?
8. Three grams of Bismuth-218 decay to 0.375 grams in one hour. What is the halflife of this isotope?
HALF LIFE GRAPHS
Chemistry- Unit 14
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1. What is the half life of the graphed
material? ____
2. What mass of radioisotope will remain
after 9.0 hours? _____
3. Plot the data from a substance with a
half-life of 1.5 hours.
HALF LIFE PROBLEMS
1. Lr-257 has a half life of 8 seconds. What % of a sample will remain 32 seconds
after it is made?
2. Na-24 has a half life of 15 hours. How long will it take for a sample to decay to 25%
of its original mass?
3. A 64 gram sample of I-131 is tested after 40 days and is found to contain only 2
grams of I-131. What is the half life of I-131?
ELABORATE:
Comparing Fission & Fusion (10 minutes)

The teacher will discuss the differences between fission reactions with fusion
reactions.
o Fission: heavy nuclei are split into lighter nuclei. Fission reactions are
relatively easy to control but produce radioactive wastes.
o Fusion: light nuclei are combined to form heavier nuclei. Fusion reactions are
difficult to initiate and control but produce little radioactive wastes.
Essential Question:
How are fission reactions different from fusion reactions?
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Language (ELP) Objectives for LEP Students:
 In paragraph form or chart form, compare and contrast fission
reactions and fusion reactions. Give specific examples.
Fission
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Fusion
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ELABORATE:
Uses of Nuclear Energy (30 minutes)
 Students will use their textbooks or the internet to research uses of nuclear
energy, including, but not limited to: electricity, carbon-14 dating and
radioisotopes for medical uses.
Essential Question:
What are some modern uses of nuclear energy?
EXPLAIN: (20 minutes)
Following the research activity, have students describe various uses of Nuclear Energy.
EVALUATE:
Sample Assessment Questions for Unit 14:
Unit Goal/
RBT
Tag
14
Questions
4.04
C4
1. Determine the half-life of Iron-59, an isotope used to diagnose
blood disorders, from the following data?
Elapsed Time (days)
Mass remaining
0
2.00 g
22.25
1.41g
44.50
1.00g
89.00
0.500g
a. 22.25 days
b. 44.50 days
c. 89.00 days
d 156.0 days
2. When carbon-14 decays, it emits a beta particle to produce nitrogen14, as shown below.
Chemistry- Unit 14
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3. When copper-67 undergoes beta decay, which of the following
isotopes is produced?
A. copper-66
B. copper-68
C. nickel-67
D. zinc-67
4. Which radioactive emission requires the most shielding?
a. positrons
b. gamma rays
c. beta particles
d. alpha particles
5. The given reaction: 2713Al +
a. beta decay.
b. artificial transmutation.
c. fission.
d. fusion.
4 He
2

31 P
15
best represents
EVALUATE: (45 minutes)
Below are sample test items obtained from the WIZARD test bank developed by
eduware™ that can be used to allow students to assess their understanding and
abilities and allow the teacher to evaluate the students understanding of key concepts
and skill development for this unit.
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