teaching nuclear chemistry by jane smith

Teaching Nuclear Chemistry

Objectives: including TEKS 6B, 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 11B, 11C

Students will be able to describe what background radiation is, where it comes from and their

approximate annual exposure.

Students will be able to define radioactivity and relate nuclear stability to the neutron to proton ratio.

Students will be able to describe the properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation.

Students will be able to write nuclear equations representing the decay or bombardment of nuclides.

Students will be able to write nuclear equations for a simple decay series.

Students will be able to apply the concept of half-life both graphically and in problems.

Students will be able to describe common uses of radioactive isotopes in medicine, industry, research,

etc.

Students will be able to compare and contrast generating electricity from fossil fuels and uranium.

Students will be able to compare and contrast the processes of nuclear fission and fusion.

Students will be able to evaluate issues related to the storage, containment, and disposal of nuclear

waste.

I have taught this unit in a variety of places in the curriculum including our discussion of the atom, before and after chemical reactions and equations and also at the end of the year. I believe this is a crucial unit for my students because they have so many misconceptions and don’t realize how much nuclear chemistry is a part of their daily lives.

We are on a 90-minute alternating block schedule and I like to spend at least 5 ½ days on this unit.

I have a video that I like to show when I have time. It is a 60-minute episode of Frontline entitled “Nuclear Reaction” that you might be able to order through pbs/wgbh.

Jane Smith R.L. Turner High School Carrollton ACT2 Biennial Conference 2003

Approximate Lesson Plan (90 minute periods)

Class Agenda Resources

Block One (30 min)

students complete the nuclear survey (turn on Geiger counter so students can’t see it)

spend a couple of minutes sharing responses - especially statements for which they put U

ask about background noise – lead into background radiation

pie chart of sources of background radiationHomework: complete personal radiation dosage

Personal radiation dosage chart from ans

Block Two (90 min)

define radioactivity and properties and symbols for (demonstrate or show video clips if possible)

discuss the zone of stability and neutron to proton ratio

illustrate decay/emission processes with nuclear equations

guided practice on Nuclear Balancing Homework: complete nuclear balancing: read in textbook and take notes on uses of radioisotopes

10 min video “A Look at Radiation” from nsc

Radiation: Questions and Answers brochure from nei

Nuclear Wall Chart - order from Boreal

Block Three(90 min)

generate Top Ten Uses of radioisotopes list as class – answer questions students have – especially on things like tracers

Half-Life lab – follow up with debrief as a class work a couple of half life problems as examplesHomework: complete half-life problems

Half-Life Lab

Block Four(90 min)

check over half-life homework problems discuss how electricity is generated with wind, water

and coal using a diagram, discuss how uranium is used to

generated electricity have students compare and contrast fossil fuels vs.

uranium as sources for electricity

Homework: read and compare/contrast nuclear fission vs. fusion

brochures from nie: How do nuclear power

plants work? Nuclear fuel – a little

goes a long way How do we keep

nuclear power plants safe?

High level, low level and transportation of nuclear waste

animation of nuclear power plant from nei

Block Five(90 min)

discuss fission vs. fusion focus on the issues surrounding nuclear waste paper and pencil assessment on nuclear basics

including revisiting survey from 1st day write 3 questions for the Socratic Seminar

graphics of nuclear waste disposal and transportation from nei

Block Six(60 min)

Socratic Seminar (structured class discussion) over nuclear issues

Socratic Seminar instructions, scoring rubric


Nuclear Resources

American Nuclear Society www.ans.org/pi/

Brochures, stickers, and personal radiation dosage charts can be purchased through the ans store.However, visit the Outreach Department and you can request a single copy for FREE.Sign up to receive email notification of the next issue of Reactions or look at archived issues.Find out when nuclear teacher workshops will be held in your area.

Also visit their education site http://www.aboutnuclear.org/ with its Nuclear Science and Technology and How It Influences Your Life topics.

Nuclear Energy Institute http://www.nei.org/

Brochures and lots of information.Links to sites with graphics of nuclear power plants, nuclear waste cask tests, etc.Animations of nuclear power plants.

National Safety Council http://www.nsc.org/ehc.htm

Request the FREE Understanding Radiation Kit by writing on school letterhead to:Understanding Radiation KitNational Safety Council’s Environmental Health Center1025 Connecticut Ave. NW Suite 1200Washington, D.C. 20036or FAX (202)293-0032 or email [email protected] your request.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers.html

Lesson plans and classroom activities are ready for you!

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory http://www.lbl.gov/abc/

Their education site on the ABC’s of Nuclear Science includes lots of good information as well as an online Teacher’s Guide to the Nuclear Science Wall Chart.

To order the wall chart, contact Science Kit 1(800)828-7777Nuclear Science Wall Chart poster WW71960-02 $11.00Nuclear Science Wall Large Chart WW70960-00 $22.00Teacher’s Guide with Transparency WW71960-04 $20.00

Chart of Nuclides http://www2.bnl.gov/ton/index.html

This site has a chart of nuclides that you can access and determine a specific nuclide’s half-life, use and type of decay.


http://www2.bnl.gov/ton/index.html

http://www.lbl.gov/abc/

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers.html

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.nsc.org/ehc.htm

http://www.nei.org/

http://www.aboutnuclear.org/

STUDENT RADIATION SURVEY Name______________________________

When you hear the word radiation, what do you think?

safe 1 2 3 4 5 dangerous

Which of the following statements is most correct or accurate?a. I am exposed to radiation daily.b. I am exposed to radiation once in a while.c. I am exposed to radiation rarely.d. I am exposed to radiation never.

The greatest radiation exposure for humans per year comes froma. nuclear power plantsb. consumer products - dishes, building materials, etc.c. natural sources - soil, rocks, etc.d. medical uses and X rays

Circle all of the following that you think emit radiation.

food soil nuclear power plants sun

What would you like to know about radiation?

Mark the blanks of the statements that follow to indicate whether you agree (A), disagree (D), or are unable to answer due to lack of knowledge (U).

_____ 1. The atom is the smallest particle in nature._____ 2. Home smoke detectors may contain radioactive materials._____ 3. All radiation causes cancer._____ 4. The human body naturally contains a small amount of radioactive material._____ 5. Radioactive materials and radiation are unnatural; they did not exist on Earth until created by

scientists._____ 6. Cancer caused by radiation exposure can be distinguished from other cancers._____ 7. Radioactive and non-radioactive forms of an element behave the same chemically._____ 8. Medical X-rays carry potential risks as well as benefits._____ 9. Cells that divide rapidly are more sensitive to radiation than cells that divide more slowly._____ 10. The major difference between a nuclear and a coal-fired power plant is the fuel used to boil

water._____ 11. Extreme cooling can slow the rate of radioactive decay down._____ 12. Nuclear plants are the only power plants that create hazards to public health and the environment._____ 13. If the half-life of a radioactive substance is six hours, all of it will have decayed in twelve hours._____ 14. Nuclear power plants use much smaller quantities of fuel than coal-fired plants._____ 15. Physicians use injections of radioactive elements in the diagnosis and treatment of certain

disorders.


NUCLEAR BALANCING

The key to balancing nuclear equations is to recognize that both atomic number and mass number are conserved in the reaction. These reactions differ from chemical reactions in that they result in one element changing into another one.

Complete the following nuclear equations by determining what goes in the blank. Also, for each equation, circle the nuclear particle (alpha, beta or positron) involved and identify it.

Example:211 82 Pb 211 83 Bi + 0 –1

61 30 Zn __________ + 0 +1 e

2. __________ 238 92 U + 4 2

9 3 Li 9 4 Be + __________

209 83 Bi __________ + 4 2 He

93 44 Ru 93 43 Tc + __________

40 19 K 0 –1 + _________

140 62 Sm __________ + 0 +1

257 102 No __________ + 4 2

30 13 Al 30 14 Si + __________

3 1 H __________ + 0 –1 e

11. __________ 11 6 C + 0 +1 e

12. 238 93 Np 238 94 Pu + __________

53 23 V 0 –1 + __________

238 92 U __________ + 4 2 He

The naturally occurring radioactive nuclide thorium-232 decays through a series of 10 steps similar to the decay series of uranium-235. For each numbered step below, the type of decay (alpha or beta) is indicated. Write the nuclear decay equations for all 10 steps and you should reach a stable nuclide – lead-208 – as a product of step #10.


beta particl

step #1 alpha 232 90 Th 4 2 + 228

88 Ra

step #2 beta 228 88 Ra

step #3 beta

step #4 alpha

step #5 alpha

step #6 alpha

step #7 alpha

step #8 beta

step #9 beta

step #10 alpha 4 2 + 208 82 Pb


% used in US

How does it work? Pros Cons

Natural Gas

Coal

Nuclear

Oil

Hydro-power

others - solar; wind

How power is generated in a nuclear power plant:

Fuel element -

Moderators -

Control Rods -

Chain reaction -

Conversion of energy:

_______________ to _______________ to _______________ to _____________


What is a Socratic Seminar?

A Socratic Seminar is a structured discussion in which you, as the teacher, are primarily responsible for listening to student responses and allowing them to let the discussion proceed naturally.

A good topic is one in which the questions will be very open-ended and often controversial with more than one possible viewpoint. A big focus for the discussion is on supporting what is said with very specific details from what has been read, presented, viewed, etc.

Consider ahead of time the following factors: How long do you want the discussion to be? (Use half of that time for each group.) Can students use prepared materials? (I let mine use anything in the composition books and I tell them

that ahead of time) How many points will the discussion be worth? Do you want to use student-prepared questions as well as your own?

The process:1. Divide your students up into 2 groups and have them move chairs/desks to form and inside (discussion) circle and an outside (scoring) circle. Assure them that everyone will have an opportunity to discuss as well as score.2. Tell the groups that the goal of the activity is to have a polite discussion using specific support for their comments. 3. Assign a group of 3 outside scorers to 3 inside people to focus on during the discussion. They will receive points for following directions regarding scoring. Their job is also to help you make sure you give students all the points that they deserve. Scorers are NOT to talk during the discussion. See the attached scoring checklist.4. As far as the discussion circle goes, I like to give each student paper to make a tent for their name and 3 post-it flags so that they can keep track of their responses. I base my scoring rubric on requiring every student to make at least one well-supported response to pass. Additional responses with support earn them successively higher grades. Also, they can earn bonus points for drawing other students into the discussion, recognizing contradictions between student responses and extending the discussion by asking a question beyond the one posed. They can lose points for personal attacks, monopolizing the discussion, not paying attention or distracting others. Also, responses that merely echo someone else (“I agree with Susie”) are not acceptable unless they include different supporting material. As each student comments, they are to remove one flag from view – this helps others in the circle keep track of who has had an opportunity to talk.5.Toss out a question to start and when the discussion on that one wanes, toss in another one. Watch your time to make sure you will be ready to switch circles about half way through. I also always try to give a 5 minute warning as the discussion is ending so some of those quiet ones can jump in.

A sample scoring rubric – total of 50 points since the other 50 is from an individual paper and pencil assessment:outside circle 12 points following directions while scoringinside circle 25 points 1st response with support

30 points 2nd response with support35 points 3rd response with support+2 points drawing other in, recognizing contradictions, extending the discussion-2 points personal attacks, monopolizing the discussion, not paying attention,

distracting others


SOCRATIC SEMINAR CHECKLIST

Scorer's Name ___________________________________Period _____

Student Name Support Positive/Negative Points

Positive Points Negative Points+2 Drawing another person into the discussion -2 Not paying attention or distracting others+2 Recognizing contradictions -2 Making a personal attack or interrupting

Possible questions to use. I try to have questions of similar difficulty for the 2 groups.

Group One Group TwoIs all radiation harmful? How can radiation be avoided?How can we eliminate radioactivity? Can scientists guarantee us that nuclear power is

safe?Should tracers be used in the treatment of tumors? Should nuclear waste be transported through

populated areas?You are the Transportation Manager for your city. Trucks carrying low level nuclear waste will be coming through your town. Your job is to decide if the trucks should be labeled as carrying “nuclear waste.”

You are the mayor of an economically poor community. An electrical company is scouting for sites for a nuclear power plant they want to build (at their expense). As mayor, what will be your view?

You’re in college and low on funds. You see an ad for a research project that would require you to inhale an inert radioactive gas in order to collect information on brain function. You will receive $250 for the 3-hour study. Will you volunteer?

In 1929, 33 women working at a watch factory in the US got sick and died of radium poisoning from licking the tips of the paintbrushes they used to paint Ra on watch dials. Should their descendants sue the factory?


teaching nuclear chemistry by jane smith

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