Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy

In this topic, nuclear processes are examined. Ionizing radiation is very useful in industrial and medical fields but at the same time is hazardous to us. Nuclear radiation comes from natural and artificial sources. It is essential for students to understand the origin of radioactivity, the nature and the properties of radiation. Students should also learn simple methods to detect radiation and identify major sources of background radiation in our natural environment. Simple numerical problems involving half-lives are performed in order to understand the long-term effects of some radioactive sources. The potential hazards of ionizing radiation are studied scientifically and in a balanced way by bringing in the concept of dosage.

In the atomic model, the basic structure of a nuclide is represented by a symbolic notation. Students learn the concepts of isotopes. They are also introduced to fission and fusion, nature’s most powerful energy sources.