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Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
Nuclear Options
Major Topic : Nuclear Physics
Length of Unit : 8 -90 minute classes
Unit Summary : Students are given the problem of, “How can nuclear energy be made safe and more reliable as a primary energy source?” They will present and write a paper on their views and findings.
Interdisciplinary Connections: Students will develop reading skills using an anticipation guide with a short article about nuclear waste disposal. Students will present a project of their choice. Students will additionally submit a paper required for this unit from one of three topics: nuclear waste disposal , possible nuclear attacks , of the feasibility of building new nuclear power plants in the US.
Understanding Goals: Students should be able to describe nuclear reactions adequately and have an educated opinion about why they do, or do not support the use of nuclear power as a primary energy generation option.
Essential Questions:
- How important is “pure science” today?
- Are the costs of research balanced by the benefits afforded by the research (ie. Inventions based on principles discovered through “pure science”)?
- How is the nucleus organized and how can its composition be used by humans?
- Is it a good idea to continue to harness the power of the atom, or should we just use what natural resources we understand now?
Student Objectives: Students will be able to: PH.4 The student will investigate and understand how applications of physics affect the world. Key concepts include a) examples from the real world; and b) exploration of the roles and contributions of science and technology. PH.7 The student will investigate and understand that energy can be transferred and transformed to provide usable work. Key concepts include a) transfer and storage of energy among systems including mechanical, thermal, gravitational, electromagnetic, chemical, and nuclear systems; and b) efficiency of systems.
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
PH.12 The student will investigate and understand that extremely large and extremely small quantities are not necessarily described by the same laws as those studied in Newtonian physics. Key concepts may include a) wave/particle duality; b) wave properties of matter; c) matter/energy equivalence; d) quantum mechanics and uncertainty; e) relativity; f) nuclear physics; g) solid state physics; h) nanotechnology; i) superconductivity; j) radioactivity.
Differentiation: Students with special needs should be able to produce a project that works to their strengths. The open nature of the culminating project allows students to focus their ideas in any direction. If a student has difficulty with the spoken word, then their project can be written. If a student excels at explaining their ideas, then an oral presentation can be used. Hard copies of notes are given to all students so that the students with writing disabilities and dysgraphia can keep up with the notes in the lesson.
Blooms Taxonomy 21 st^ Century Skills Creating Critical Thinking Evaluating Problem Solving Analyzing Communication Applying Creativity & Innovation Understanding Collaboration Remembering Information & Media Contextual Learning Global/Multicultural Research
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
- PBS video: Revisiting Chernobyl
- Frontline video: Inside Japan’s Nuclear Meltdown
- Element Chart
Supplies:
- Paper for printing projects
- Anticipation Guide and Nuclear Waste Disposal article
- PowerPoint for students (print for notes)
- Nuclear Decay practice worksheet
- Binding Energy worksheet
- Nuclear Physics quiz
Vocabulary: nucleus, electron, proton, neutron, quark, chain reaction, fission, fusion, radioactive, half-life, activity, atomic mass unit, mass number, atomic number, alpha decay, beta decay, gamma decay
Lesson 1: (1 -90 minute class)
- Review Nuclear Physics PowerPoint Notes for chapter 21 and 22 (attached) o Development of current concept of the structure of the atom (Plum Pudding, Nucleus, Electron energy levels, presence of neutrons, presence of radioactivity)
- Complete nuclear reaction problem practice in attached PowerPoint (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Decay)
- Assign Nuclear Decay practice worksheet (attached)
- Discuss: how important was the “pure science” studied by Rutherford and Bohr?
Lesson 2 : (1 -90 minute class)
- Check Nuclear Decay worksheet and answer questions.
- Continue Nuclear Physics PowerPoint Notes for chapter 21 and 22 o Nuclear fission – Chain reaction process, parts and function of a nuclear reactor, history of nuclear fission bombs, Hiroshima and Nagasaki history
- Complete Binding Energy practice problems in attached PowerPoint (mass defect and proton, neutron masses, one amu = 931.49 MeV)
- Assign Binding Energy worksheet
- Did the “pure science” of the nucleus lead to good endings or bad endings?
Lesson 3: (1 -90 minute class)
- Check Binding Energy worksheet and answer questions.
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
- Review operation of a nuclear reactor and have discussion about what students remember about Japanese Tsunami. What about the nuclear accident? International reactions and impacts?
- Watch Japan’s Nuclear Meltdown video.
- Is it a good idea to continue to harness the power of the atom, or should we just use what natural resources we understand now?
Lesson 4: (1 -90 minute class)
- Anticipation Guide for Nuclear Waste Disposal o Read Nuclear Waste Disposal article and discuss before/after responses
- Hand out final project assignment (paper and project information)
- Let students work with partner(s) to develop project plan and research using computers, the internet and productivity software
- As a closure, ask your students, “How is the nucleus used by the human race?”
- Remind students of due dates and plan for presentations.
Lesson 5: (1 -90 minute class)
- Continue research and group work. Use computers and circulate to answer questions that students have both about concepts and format of the project or paper.
Lesson 6: (1 -90 minute class)
- Collect papers and have some students present their projects.
- Lead discussion of world/country/community impacts brought up by the projects.
- Watch Chernobyl video.
- Ask the students, “Is it a good idea to continue to harness the power of the atom, or should we just use what natural resources we understand now?”
Lesson 7: (1 -90 minute class)
- Have remainder of students’ present projects.
- Review problems and concepts necessary for quiz.
- Ask the students, “How important is pure science? How can we harness the power of the nucleus to help us today?”
Lesson 8: (1 -90 minute class)
- Return papers and projects.
- Have students take quiz on Nuclear Physics topics.
- Ask students, “Is nuclear power ‘worth it’ due to costs and dangers vs. benefits?”
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
Topic #1: Nuclear fuel is highly radioactive and is very useful since only a small mass of fuel is necessary to power a reactor. Once this fuel is spent, it is still highly dangerous to humans. How and where should this spent fuel be deposited?
Answers must include :
- Location and method of disposal
- Amount that can be stored with this method
- Cost of disposal method
Topic #2: The threat of nuclear warfare has changed in the past 20 years. The two Superpowers (USSR and USA) were formerly the only two countries on the brink of nuclear war. Many other countries now have nuclear capabilities or nuclear waste that can be fashioned into a “dirty bomb.” Where do you think the next nuclear attack will occur?
Answers must include :
- Who would be involved in the attack
- What type of weapon and what delivery method would be used
- Reasons behind the attack
Topic #3: With the cost of fossil fuels increasing rapidly and demand for electricity increasing, there is a call for building new nuclear power plants. It is currently against the law to build a new nuclear power plant in the United States since the accident at Three Mile Island (TMI). How could you argue in favor of building new nuclear power plants here in the United States?
Answers must include :
- Short description of the accident at TMI
- Advantages of nuclear power over conventional (coal, natural gas, etc.) power plants
- Reasons that new nuclear power plants would be safer than those we operate now
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
Nuclear Paper Grade Sheet
Name: _____________________________________
Categories:
Length: [10 pts] ________
Content: [21 pts] ________
Overall Effect [10 pts] ________
Cited Source [9 pts] ________
TOTAL: [50 pts] ________
Nuclear Project Grade Sheet
Name: ________________________________________
Categories:
Length: [10 pts] ________
Content: [21 pts] ________
Overall Effect [10 pts] ________
Cited Source [9 pts] ________
Extra Credit? ________
TOTAL: [50 pts] ________
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
and can be used as an energy-producing material. Write balanced equations for each of the reactions described.
- Radon has the highest density of any gas. Under normal conditions radon’s density is about
10 kg/m^3. One of radon’s isotopes undergoes two alpha decays and then one beta decay ( β –
83
) to form 212 Bi. Write the equations that correspond to these reaction steps.
- Every element in the periodic table has isotopes, and cesium has the most: as of 1995, 37 isotopes of cesium had been identified. One of cesium’s most stable isotopes undergoes
beta decay ( β – ) to form 13556 Ba. Write the equation describing this beta-decay reaction.
- Fission is the process by which a heavy nucleus decomposes into two lighter nuclei and releases energy. Uranium-235 undergoes fission when it captures a neutron. Several neutrons are produced in addition to the two light daughter nuclei. Complete the following equations, which describe two types of uranium-235 fission reactions. 92
235 U+
0
(^1) n → 56
(^144) Ba+ 36
(^89) Kr + ___
92
235 U+
0
(^1) n → 54
(^140) Xe + ___ + 2 0
(^1) n
- The maximum safe amount of radioactive thorium-228 in the air is 2.4 × 10 −^19 kg/m^3
- The 1930s were notable years for nuclear physics. In 1931, Robert Van de Graaff built an electrostatic generator that was capable of creating the high potential differences needed to accelerate charged particles. In 1932, Ernest O. Lawrence and M. Stanley Livingston built the first cyclotron. In the same year, Ernest Cockcroft and John Walton observed one of the first artificial nuclear reactions. Complete the following equation for the nuclear reaction observed by Cockcroft and Walton.
, which is equivalent to about half a kilogram distributed over the entire atmosphere. One reason for this substance’s high toxicity is that it undergoes alpha decay in which gamma rays are produced as well. Write the equation corresponding to this reaction.
1
(^1) p + 3
(^7) Li → ___+ 2
(^4) He
- Among the naturally occurring elements, astatine is the least abundant, with less than 0.2 g
present in Earth’s entire crust. The isotope 21785 At accounts for only about 5 × 10 −^9 g of all
astatine. However, this highly radioactive isotope contributes nothing to the natural abundance of astatine because when it is created, it immediately undergoes alpha decay. Write the equation for this decay reaction.
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
Subatomic Physics
Practice Problems
NUCLEAR DECAY PROBLEM Bromine-80 decays by emitting a positron and a neutino. Write the complete decay formula for this process.
SOLUTION
Given: The decay can be written symbolically as follows:
Unknown:
The mass numbers and atomic numbers on the two sides of the expression must be the same so that both charge and nucleon number are conserved during the course of a particular decay.
the daughter element (X)
Mass number of X = 80 − 0 = 80 Atomic number of X = 35 − (1) = 34
The periodic table (Appendix F) shows that the nucleus with an atomic number of 34 is selenium, Se. Thus, the process is as follows:
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE
- Complete this radioactive-decay formula:
- Complete this radioactive-decay formula:
- Complete this radioactive-decay formula:
- Complete this radioactive-decay formula:
- Complete this radioactive-decay formula:?
- Complete this radioactive-decay formula:?
- Complete this radioactive-decay formula:
- Complete this radioactive-decay formula:?
- Complete this radioactive-decay formula:
- Complete this radioactive-decay formula:
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
Nuclear Physics Quiz
Name: ______________________________ Date: ________________________
Part A: Multiple Choice. Fill in the blank with the best answer from the four choices listed in each test item. [3 points each]
_____ 1. An atom’s atomic number refers to the a) number of neutrons in a neutral atom. b) number of protons in a neutral atom. c) half the atom’s atomic mass. d) number of isotopes of the atom.
_____ 2. Which of the following types of radioactive decay occurs when a neutron is changed to a proton within the nucleus? a) alpha decay b) beta decay c) gamma decay d) both a and b
_____ 3. The mass number of an atom is equal to a) the sum of its protons and electrons. b) twice its number of neutrons. c) half its atomic number. d) the sum of its protons and neutrons.
_____ 4. The number of decays per second in a sample of radioactive material is its a) half-life. b) activity. c) gamma decay. d) lepton.
_____ 5. The time required for half the atoms in any given quantity of a radioactive isotope to decay is the __________ of that element. a) half-life b) activity c) ionization rate d) weak interaction
_____ 6. What is required to balance the following nuclear equation?
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
24^ He^ +^49 Be^ →^ + 01 n
a) 126 C b) (^126) C c) 146 C d) 148 C
_____ 7. During alpha decay, a(n) __________ is ejected from the nucleus. a) helium atom b) hydrogen atom c) hydrogen nucleus d) helium nucleus _____ 8. Which of the following is a type of particle accelerator? a) Geiger-Mueller tube b) Wilson cloud chamber c) synchrotron d) all of the above _____ 9. Physicists believe that quarks make up. a) neutrons and electrons b) neutrinos and neutrons c) protons and electrons d) protons and neutrons _____ 10. All isotopes of an element have a) different numbers of protons b) the same number of neutrons c) the same number of protons d) different numbers of electrons
Part B: Problems and Diagrams. Solve each of the following problems using the given information. Show your work and place a box around your final answer. If a diagram is given, label each of the parts requested.
- A radium atom, 22488 Ra , decays to radon, Rn , by emitting an alpha particle. Write a nuclear equation for this transmutation. [5 points]
88
(^224) Ra →
- An atom of plutonium, 24394 Pu , emits a beta particle and an antineutrino when its nucleus decays to americium, Am. (beta decay) Write a nuclear equation for this transmutation. [5 points]
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
PWR Nuclear Power Plant
Part C: Questions. Answer each of the following questions using complete sentences. Limit each answer to two or three sentences.
- What element do nuclear fuel rods in a nuclear fission reactor contain, and what are their function? [7 points]
- Describe the operation (how they move) and purpose of the control rods in a nuclear fission reactor. [7 points]
Grade 11-
Lesson Contributed by: David Flickinger
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
- Describe the importance of a moderator in a nuclear fission reactor and list one of the two substances used for this purpose in reactors. [7 points]
- Describe the importance of a cooling loop in a nuclear fission reactor and list one of the sources of cool water discussed in class. [7 points]
Extra Credit [5 point bonus] The half-life of 2552 Mn is 5.6 days. What was the original mass of 2552 Mn if after 50.4 days 1.20 g are found?
