Radioactivity

Lecture 2

Syllabus and Logistics of Class

Syllabus

• Class Requirements and Schedule:

• To cover the broad range of material the course will be offered in four topical sections that address the science and scientific effects of radioactivity, as well as the environmental consequences and the societal impact of its growing number of applications

• The class will be offered twice a week so that each of these topics can be discussed in one 90 minute class session. The grade will be determined by participation in discussion, by quizzes on the class material, by homework results and by the results of the mid-term and final exam (essay). Prerequisites are high-school physics and high-school algebra. To allow room and time for discussion the number of participants is limited to 24 students.

• There is no textbook available at this level. Lecture notes will be prepared and will be posted for each class topic. A list of supplementary reading material will be provided

• Class Grades:

• Weekly quizzes 10%; Homework 20%; Midterm Exam 30%; final exam or essay 20%; participation 20%

• Honor Code:

• “This class follows the binding Code of Honor at Notre Dame. The graded work you do in this class must be your own. In the case where you collaborate with other students make sure to fairly attribute their contribution to your project.”

Prerequisites: High school physics High school algebra

Topics to be discussed

1. The phenomenon of radioactivity 1.1. The discovery of radioactivity 1.2. The nature and detection of radioactivity 1.3. The physics of radioactive decay 1.4. Natural and induced radioactivity 1.5. Dosimetry and exposure limits 1.6. The biological impact of radioactivity 2. The origin of radioactivity 2.1. The origin of the elements 2.2. The radioactive universe 2.3. The radioactive earth 2.4. Geological implications and consequences 2.5. The human radioactivity cycle 2.6. The origin and evolution of life

3. The environmental impact of radioactivity 3.1. Atmospheric Radioactivity 3.2. Radioactivity in agriculture 3.3. Radioactivity in building materials 3.4. Radioactivity and natural resources 3.5. Radioactivity and renewable energy 3.6. Radioactivity and nuclear energy 4. Societal impact of radioactivity 4.1. Radioactivity in the industrial production process 4.2. Radioactivity in the art market 4.3. Radioactivity and medical applications 4.4. Radioactivity and homeland security 4.5. Radioactivity in war 4.6. Radioactivity and fear

People to be asked

Michael Wiescher NSH 181

Wiescher.1@nd.edu

Jacob Allen NSH 103

Allen.143@nd.edu

Micha Kilburn NSH 180D

mkilburn@nd.edu

Books to be read

Website to be consulted

isnap.nd.edu/courses/radioactivity-and-its-implications-for-environment-and-society/

All lectures, homework sets, and other course notes will be placed here!

Class List

Michelle Christine Acabado ENGL / MANT 02

Geoffrey Allman NONE 01

Ilianna Almada PSY / ROS2 / MBEC 02

Jacob Bai ECON 01

Austin Benvegnu NONE 01

Bailey Boesch NONE 02

Allie Braschler NONE 01

Michael Briody NONE 01

John Cresson NONE 01

Evan DaCosta POLS 01

Christopher Garbasz NONE 01

Matthew Hardiman ECON 01

Mary Henrichs FTT 01

Mario Kafati Simon NONE 01

Mitchell Koppinger NONE 01

Harrison Lacy NONE 01

Nicholas Marr POLS 01

Thomas Mologne NONE 01

John Morris ECON 01

John O'Neill POLS 01

Carlo Perri POLS 01

Ryan Rogers NONE 01

Isabel Rooper NONE 01

Jacob Rush NONE 01

Benjamin Shepard NONE 01

Grace Steffens ENGL 01

Audrey Steiner MUS 01

Kelli-Ann Tanaka IEJA / MSOC 02

Owen Ulicny POLS 01

Colin Vaughan IERL 01

Nicole White AMST 02

Colleen Wiechart IEAR 02

Charles Wolfe NONE 01

• Natural Radioactivity • The origin of the radioactive elements • The phenomenon of cosmic radiation • Cosmogenic and radiogenic activity • Solar and geo neutrinos • Radiogenic heat and mantle convection • Radioactivity in oceans and volcanoes

• Biology and Radioactivity • The human radioactivity cycle

• Radioactivity and mutation

• Bystander effects

• Radioactivity and hormesis

• History and reason for LNT threshold

• Dose and death

Natural Radioactivity Projects to be considered

Anthropogenic Radioactivity Projects to be considered

• Enriched Radioactivity • Mining and Burning of fossil fuel • Uranium mining • Geothermal heat • Building materials • Soil and plant up-take of • Fertilizers and agriculture

• Anthropogenic Radioactivity • The physics of fusion and fission • Nuclear fall-out from bomb and reactor • The nuclear test program • Radioactivity in diagnostics and treatment • Radioisotopes for (wo)mankind • Radioactivity, industry, and industrial methods

Class schedule (before break)

8/23/2016 Tuesday Introduction, Overview, Summary

8/25/2016 Thursday Organisation, Class Plan, Syllabus

8/30/2016 Tuesday The Discovery of Radioactivity, Science and Applications

9/1/2016 Thursday The Physics of radioactive Decay

9/6/2016 Tuesday The Nature and Laws of Radioactivity

9/8/2016 Thursday Detectors and Instrumentation

9/13/2016 Tuesday Dosimetry and Exposure Limits

9/15/2016 Thursday Biological Impact of Radioactivity

9/20/2016 Tuesday The Origin of radioactive Elements

9/22/2016 Thursday The Radioactive Universe

9/27/2016 Tuesday Radioactive Earth

9/29/2016 Thursday Geological Implications and Consequences

10/4/2016 Tuesday The Human Radioactivity Cycle

10/6/2016 Thursday The Origin and Evolution of Life

10/11/2016 Tuesday Atmospheric Radioactivity

10/13/2016 Thursday Mid-Term Exam

10/18/2016 Tuesday Fall Break

10/20/2016 Thursday

Class Schedule (after break)

10/18/2016 Tuesday Fall Break

10/20/2016 Thursday

10/25/2016 Tuesday Radioactivity in Agriculture

10/27/2016 Thursday Radioactivity in Building Materials

11/1/2016 Tuesday Radioactivity in Natural resources

11/3/2016 Thursday Radioactivity and Renewable Energy

11/8/2016 Tuesday Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy

11/10/2016 Thursday Issues of long-term Storage

11/15/2016 Tuesday Radioactivity in Industry

11/17/2016 Thursday Radioactivity in the Art Market

11/22/2016 Tuesday Thanksgiving Break

11/24/2016 Thursday

11/29/2016 Tuesday Radioactivity in Medicine

12/1/2016 Thursday Radioactivity and Homeland Security

12/6/2016 Tuesday Radioactivity and War

12/8/2016 Thursday Radioactivity and Fear

Exams and Grades

• Weekly quizzes 10%;

• Homework 20%;

• Midterm Exam 30%;

• final exam or essay 20%;

• participation 20%

Question and Answers