Unit Plan: Nuclear Chemistry This will be the last unit covered during the second semester of high school chemistry. This unit should cover approximately two to three weeks worth of lessons and labs while the research project will continue through to the last week of class so that students may present their findings in a round table discussion. Introduction There are three major nuclear reactions that students will be able to compare and contrast: fission, fusion, and naturally occurring radioactive decay. Each is discussed in the worlds of the very small and very big since atomic energy composition through astronomy will be topics of conversation during the unit. They will study how isotopes play a large role in radioactive decay due to their instability and spontaneous particle radiation. Current events and politics will be discussed with the addition of a study on uranium and plutonium development in the world as it relates to power struggles over tremendous amounts of energy (i.e. weapons, power plants, medical technology). Additionally the historical aspect of nuclear chemistry will de discuss in detail so that students may understand how scientist came to their conclusions concerning the makeup up atoms, their decay through particle ejection, and the process of determining a species’ age through half‐life and carbon dating. Students will be able to negotiate a reasonable opinion about the dangers of controlling fusion reactions as it relates to the energies equal to that of our parent star. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their thoughts on the importance of scientific research with fission reactions, particle accelerators, and theoretical sciences. Lastly students will be required to conduct a research project that reflects their scientific literacy of nuclear chemistry. This project will require students to read and research texts related to a selected topic, write a formal paper on their findings and opinions, and lastly communicate their data to the class in the form of a presentation. This final project will be used in lieu of a unit test. Unit Objectives 
Describe the characteristics of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation 
Balance nuclear equations of the radioactive decay process 
Compare fusion and fission reactions 
Understand the formula 
Use half‐life information to determine lifetime equations 
Become familiar with the concept of carbon dating 
Utilize their conceptual knowledge of nuclear chemistry to conduct academic research and its relation to atomic energy T.E.K.S. 112.35—High School Chemistry (c) Knowledge and skills (12) Science concepts. The student understands the basic processes of nuclear chemistry. The student is expected to: (A) describe the characteristics of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation; (B) describe radioactive decay process in terms of balanced nuclear equations; and (C) compare fission and fusion reactions. Background 1. The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and neutrons which are equal in mass and comparatively more massive than electrons therefore contain more energy. Isotopes of elements contain different numbers of neutrons in the nucleus and may be either stable or unstable. The decay of unstable isotopes is a natural and spontaneous phenomenon. 2. The number of protons in the nucleus solely determines the identity of any element. All protons have a positive charge yet are held together very tightly in the core of atoms. This is because the strong nuclear force overpowers the electrical charge of the particles which would have them fly apart. 3. Nuclear reactions convert a fraction of their mass into vast amounts of energy by either splitting or fusing nuclei with enormous speed. 4. Half‐life refers to the amount of time it takes for one half of a sample to completely decay. This process can be determined with a mathematical equation and is used in carbon dating. Part One: Nuclear Decay Daniels, Zemelman & Steinek—Content‐Area Writing A powerful idea from this book is that students gain more from writing than any other task since learning is harnessed by having students put their ideas into their own words. This can be done in many ways but the most useful strategy in a classroom is to have students take moments to write out their thoughts spontaneously so that their first impressions can be used for self assessment. I students are allowed to write and discuss in small groups then they may share what they know and help each other define meaning in the lessons. Brainstorming, illustrating, and on‐the‐spot solo writing are good tools for preparing students to bring together their thoughts for future academic writing. A. As an introduction to the unit students will be given an assignment to read (See Introduction to Nuclear Chemistry) prior to the first class lesson. This introduction will give students some background on the unit and introduce them to the language used throughout. During the first class meeting students will be introduced to concepts of nuclear chemistry such as particle radiation, their relative energies, and properties. A collection of projected slides will support visual learning in addition to defining terms of the unit. Introduced in this first class are: 1. Alpha, beta, and gamma radiation including their relative charges, energies and composition 2. Isotopes and their rates of instability which affect decay 3. Writing and solving balanced nuclear equations Slides 1‐8 will be used to graphically represent the material of the first lesson. For step #3 examples of nuclear reaction equations will be demonstrated on the board while students practice the steps of writing and balancing in their notebooks. The following website may be used to practice these types of equations either in class or at home: http://www.sciencegeek.net/Chemistry/taters/Unit1NuclearEquations.htm B. Following the first lesson students will conduct their first assignment in class. This is a free write where students must continuously write for five minutes in any form they choose. It may be fictitious, poetic, or personal but should include terms related to what they have learned from their pre‐lesson reading. Students will be given a blank sheet of paper at the open of class and asked to write. They may use the introduction article for this assignment but should write in their own words. 1. Examples of writings may include a story, statements of what they have learned, and/or questions that they may have on the topic. 2. Students will discuss what they have written in small groups to come up with ten concepts or terms dealing with nuclear chemistry. 3. On the opposite side of their sheet of paper they will create a graphic organizer based on these ten ideas. C. Simulating radioactive decay Popping popcorn in class is an excellent way of demonstrating the spontaneity and irreversible change associated with radioactive decay. In the front of the classroom the teacher will have a hot plate with popcorn kernels in oil slowly heating while an introduction is given on radioactive decay of atoms. Noted is that while you may predict which kernels will pop first there is no certain method for establishing what order they will pop and identifying which will not pop. Additionally it should be mentioned that once the kernel has popped (decayed) it cannot return to its primary state. While the kernels are heated students will be prompted with the following: 
Predict which corn kernels will pop first. 
What are variables that control whether a kernel of corn will pop? 
What happens to the kernel of corn when it does pop? Can it go back to the way it was before it popped? D. Solving nuclear equations review Students will be given a worksheet which contains problems for balancing nuclear equations, predicting isotopes present during radioactive decay, and writing balanced equations based on word problems. Students will be guided by the teacher through the left hand column of the worksheet for questions one and two (not the word problems). Students will be given time in class to complete the worksheet or turned in the next day for a homework grade. Students will be encouraged to work in small groups so that those who understand the concept may help students who are having trouble understanding the steps of the process. E. Understanding of half‐life Radioactive decay occurs at a certain rate and depends on the stability of the species’ isotope and the environment from which it is exposed. Students will be expected to understand that half‐life refers to not only the process of decay but also that it is the amount of time that it takes for a sample to decrease by half through decay. 
Half‐life refers to the time it takes for half of a sample of atoms decays 
Half‐life describes whole entities therefore there cannot be a moment where half of an atom exists 
Half‐life is defined as a probability rate therefore experimentally it will not always be completely accurate 
While this is a probability, the large number of atoms in a sample will produce an average decay sequence equal to that where probability can be ignored 
Once a sample begins the decay process it cannot reverse E. Simulation lab In order for students to comprehend the process of half‐life they will conduct an experiment where they may simulate the process of decay with the use of pennies. Students will have the opportunity to fully grasp the concept by enacting the reaction rate, gathering data based on their findings and plotting their on a graph. Refer to Nuclear Chemistry Lab: The Radioactive “Decay of Pennium” In this experiment students will review the probability rate discussed during the popcorn demonstration to focus their learning on decayed and non‐decayed atoms in a sample. Students will be given 100 pennies, a cup with a lid and lab instructions with which they may plot their data. They will be asked to systematically shake the sealed cup with pennies, pour them onto a hard surface and remove pennies which are tails up (the decayed atoms of pennium). Recording their figures and repeating these steps until all the pennies have “decayed” students will have a greater understanding of the decay process. Students will then plot their data on a table to reveal that the rate quotient is not a straight line but rather a curve showing that the increments decrease but a rate of approximately half with each successive turn. Students will work in groups and submit individual data tables, plots, and summative questions the following day. F. During the final part of this lesson students will be involved in a free write session that is used to elaborate their knowledge on the concept of half‐life and particle decay. They will be expected to use terminology from the unit to depict their understanding of how atomic structure leads to decaying material and what scientist may learn from samples that have decayed. G. Assessment—students will take a quiz on half‐life and nuclear reaction equations See Half‐life QUIZ Part Two: Nuclear Reactions and Subatomic Particles DeVoss, Eidman & Hicks— Because Digital Writing Matters The digital age has forever changed the method of teaching because it allows other to create valuable learning tools for students and teachers. The use of video, web pages, and internet distribution can help students to focus their learning by developing different perspectives of what lessons can become. Videos are a helpful means of learning in science as many concepts are abstract an unobservable due to their occurrence at the microscopic level. Learning about atoms, subatomic particles, and chemical reactions can make a profound difference in visualizing inconceivable concepts. Robb—Multiple Texts The use of multiple texts is a very convenient tool when learning difficult subject matter. Multiple texts offer many different perspectives on subjects and may better explain concepts to students. The same as there are various authors writing about the same subject, there are various brain types reading them, therefore some connections may be made where others may not. From personal experience I can say that I learned chemistry not from a chemistry book; instead I learned with the aid of teacher handouts and endless Google searches. The different perspectives helped to funnel in material and triangulate information across many genres. A. Review of particle decay and fission and fusion reactions Slides from the PowerPoint presentation will follow this demonstration as students will review concepts particle decay, briefly discuss carbon‐14 decay, and a brief on to fission and fusion reactions. Once the review is covered students will engage in a lesson on fission and fusion reactions with the aid of web articles and group discussions. The guiding questions for this lesson are as follows: 
What are nuclear fission and fusion? 
How are they alike and how are they different? 
How is the fission process used in nuclear reactors? Students will use their existing knowledge of nuclear chemistry to create a KWL chart and work in small groups in order to create a compiled list of concepts. These concepts will be discussed as a class toward the end of their discussion and recorded on the board so that student may comprehend the basics of these reactions. Next students will be asked to read articles on fission and fusion reactions where they will make predictions prior to the read and corrections to those predictions afterward. Third, students will complete a formative assessment of the material by creating a Venn diagram that compares and contrasts both reactions. Fourth, demonstrate the structure and working process of nuclear reactors with an online media tool which uses animations to grant visual understanding of nuclear power at work. If students have access to a computer lab with online access then it is advisable to allow students to manipulate the tool. Once this sequence is complete students will be asked to write in their notebooks a summary of the concepts presented in this lesson and pose questions that still remain as they will work in small groups to define their understanding. Upon completion of the discussion, activities, and readings students should be able to: 1. Define nuclear energy, fission, fusion, and chain reactions 2. Describe the process of nuclear fission and fusion along with evaluate how the processes compare and contrast 3. Explain how nuclear reactors are used to produce electrical energy B. Following the lesson on fission and fusion students will complete a lesson on carbon dating which will entail a Project Cassiopeia video lesson on the process of constructing meaning from the decay of carbon‐14. Video: Carbon Dating: (How) Does it Work? At the end of this video students should be able to define radio carbon dating and engage in an open discussion which defines the process as it is used in science. Students should be able to take a critical stance on whether the technique holds any historical value or accurate measurement. C. A summative lesson will conclude this portion of the unit which is meant to encapsulate student learning with larger views of nuclear chemistry. This lesson is meant to pose questions to the students and have them think about chemistry, energy, and science in a broad way. In order to describe these microscopic concepts and abstract ideas a series of select images will accompany the discussion. Focal points and questions raised in this discussion include: 
Subatomic particles, their relative masses and energies 
Vast amounts of energy can be released with very little mass and may come from a single atom 
Elements are distinguished by their number of protons (atomic number) and not their number of neutrons or electrons 
What particles are used to distinguish ions? Isotopes? 
What are the relative charges of protons, neutrons, and electrons? 
Why do electrons not bond with its opposite charge in the nucleus? 
If protons have like charges, then how do they remain compact in the nucleus? 
List and define the four natural forces of interaction. A conversation about Albert Einstein will be conducted by posing a question to the students: “Who is the most famous scientist of the 20th century?” Record on the board the student responses and it will always lead to Einstein. Additionally ask students why this person comes to mind and probe for comments on his contributions to science and society. See if they can identify whether he every won a Nobel Prize and what it may have been for. Mention that he only won one Nobel Prize and it was not for his most famous piece of work—
Special and General Relativity. His theory and application of the photoelectric effect granted him this award and is used daily with automated sliding glass doors much like those at the supermarket. A short video is introduced with a brief synopsis of Albert Einstein’s dying days that states how he spent his last years denying new evidence that nature has no prescribed ways of dealing with phenomena and is very chaotic. He fought what was becoming a new way of thought, namely quantum mechanics, and dedicated the remainder of his life to unifying the four natural forces with one all‐encompassing theory. Video: Grand Unified Field Theory This portion of the lesson will tie into the topic of particle acceleration and entities which make up particles—quarks. Video: Quarks: Inside the Atom Part Three: Nuclear Chemical Research Beers—When Kids Can’t Read According to Beers book When Kids Can’t Read…, dependent readers look for escape routes when confronted with texts that are difficult and in consequence fail to comprehend the material used to keep them learning. Ideally teachers want independent readers who follow the text by using strategies to overcome difficult instances. The nomenclature of science must be understood in order to master a chemistry course therefore students must go beyond textbooks and discover the language in context. A solution for this dilemma is to use articles that involve chemical language so students can both see the relevance to reality in news stories and maintain interest through current events. Harste—What Do We Mean by Literacy Now? This text creates a foundation for literacy as a necessity in social practice as it defines it a particular set of social practices that a particular set of people value (p. 8). This social practice can be used in lessons by having students read and write about what is on their minds so that they can start the thinking process through communication. A social practice that keeps individuals on the cusp of knowledge is reading about interesting events and commenting on them in written form. Scientist, news reporters, researchers, business people and artists all do this in order to communicate with relative audiences. In this research project portion of the unit students have the opportunity to become readers and writers of scientific inquiry with the goal of communicating their results to their peers. This final portion of the unit will entail students reading articles on the societal aspects of nuclear chemistry including its historic development, implications for world power, uses in creating diabolical weaponry and the biological effects of radiation. Included in this portion of the unit students will conduct academic research to write a thought provoking paper and construct a presentation based on their findings geared toward an audience of their peers. A. Opening this lesson all students will be given a vocabulary sheet with twenty terms. Students will spend the first half of the class period using their notes to construct personal meaning of these terms. Students will be asked to define the terms using their own words rather than textbook definitions so that they can show that they have transformed their meaning into something that they know. This will also aid students who have trouble defining terms as their peers can help them to understand their meaning in different ways. B. Introduction to the Nuclear Chemistry Research Project This portion of the lesson will be used to describe the research project in its entirety while defining the expectations of the students throughout the process. See Nuclear Chemistry Research Project Students will be given a list of topics that they might want to research and write about that span over time and different parts of the world. If students wish to conduct research outside of this list then they must make a compelling argument for its relation to course content, specifically nuclear chemistry and its elements. Topics included are: 1. Russia and the former USSR development of nuclear power 2. The disaster of Chernobyl (Ukraine) 3. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Japan) 4. The disaster of three mile island (United States) 5. Marie and Pierre Curie’s contributions to nuclear research (France) 6. The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami (Japan) Students will be given printed project guidelines along with a rubric. It will be noted that they must not only create a well‐structured research paper but also a presentation that defines their data. C. Students will spend much class time conducting research in the library or the computer lab in order to find relevant source material and to pose questions and concern to the teacher. Likely students will be given three to four days of the week to either research or write during class time. D. In addition students will spend some class time reading articles about the implications of nuclear chemistry as it relates to reactor meltdowns, preservation of healthy foods and drugs, medical uses in today’s society and the biological effects of exposure to radiation. Students will be given a worksheet that determines the amount of radiation they receive on a daily basis. They will be encouraged to determine the average dose of their family members and share with the class within the week. This will give them a better idea on how radiation affects us in day‐
to‐day life. E. Pending time constraints and use of a computer lab, students will conduct an online lesson about the disaster in Chernobyl which consists of students reading and writing about the incident while learning about the negative effects of nuclear power. In this lesson students will be able to compare and contrast the meltdown of 1986 with what they know about nuclear reactors today. They will study the pros and cons of nuclear energy including the vast amount of energy produced from small amounts of material in comparison to the use of fossil fuels and the toxicity of the waste developed from nuclear power. Students will critique each side of the debate along with understand how the development of nuclear power has changed society. See Chernobyl Disaster Nuclear Chemistry Lab
The Radioactive Decay of "Pennium"
Names
Research Question
What is the half-life of the fictitious radioisotope "pennium"?
Introduction
alpha decay
Half-life refers to the amount of time that it takes for matter to decay to
that of half its original sample. Substances such as metals and organic
materials will radiate their mass in the form of energy over extended
periods of time. This energy is released in the form of ionizing particles.
What is an ion and what is an ionizing particle?
Procedure
1. Gather 100 pennies. Drop them into the plastic cup.
2. Cover and shake about 20 times while timing this decay process. Record your time in seconds.
Assume each decay process takes this same amount of time, so keep adding on this number of
seconds to the last time in the table.
3. Uncover the cup and poor out the pennies on the table without having them spill over the side.
Remove from the pile all the pennies that are tails up. They represent atoms that have under
gone radioactive decay.
4. Count the heads up pennies as you put them back into the plastic cup. These are the
undecayed atoms. Record your data in the data table.
5. Repeat steps 4-5 until you have no pennies left.
6. Once you have recorded your data begin graphing your results
7. Answer the questions given and submit the following day.
Remember the popcorn demonstration:
The method of providing absolute ages to the geologic time scale became possible
when radioactivity was discovered at the end of the last century. In the first few
lectures it was mentioned that certain isotopes of certain elements were unstable
and underwent radioactive decay. Think about a pan of pop corn on the stove. Each
kernel has the potential to pop, but they do it one at a time. You never know which
particular kernel is going to pop, but you know if you wait long enough, most of them will have
popped. All else being equal (i.e. temperature), the number of kernels popping at a given time is
related to the number of kernels left in the pan. As the number of kernels dwindles, the number of
popped corn kernels increases. The time scale is determined by the half-life or the time it takes for
half the kernels to pop. From looking at the graph, it is obvious that the number remaining at any time
decreases with time, and more pop per unit time than pop later, when there are fewer left to pop. In
fact, the number that pops during any interval depends on the number of unpopped kernels that were
there at the beginning of the interval.
Mathematically, we can write this as:
The number of kernels remaining = [the number at the start] x [a special number] to the power of [(time on stove) x (a time constant)]
Data Table
Time (seconds)
Number of Undecayed Atoms
(heads up pennies)
0
100
Graph your data. Place the time on the X-axis and the number of undecayed atoms on the Y-axis. Be
sure to label the X and Y-axis. Give your graph a title. Use the entire graph.
Analyze and Conclude
1. In your own words define half-life.
2. Is your chart a straight line? Why?
3. What is the half-life of pennium in your experiment? Explain how you arrived at that number.
Apply and Assess
4. a. Does exactly the same fraction of pennium atoms decay during each half-life?
b. What does this suggest about half-life?
5. Why are such variations not likely to be obvious when actual atoms are involved?
Name:
QUIZ
Half-life
Directions: Solve each of the following problems. Showing your work, including proper units, will
help in determining full credit.
1. The half-life of cesium-137 is 3.2 years. If the initial mass of a sample of cesium-137 is 1.0 kg,
how much will remain after 151 years?
2. Given that the half-life of carbon-14 is 5730 years, consider a sample of fossilized wood
that, when alive, would have contained 24 f of carbon-14. It now contains 1.5 g of
carbon-14. How old is the sample?
3. Dmitri Mendeleev predicted this element’s existence based on its placement in the periodic
table. Two decades later it was discovered in a mineral ore and named after his homeland.
A 64-g sample of germanium-66 is left undisturbed for 1.5 hours. At the end of that period
only 2.0 g remain. What is the half-life of this material?
4. With a half-life of 28.9 years, how long will it take for 1 g of strontium-90 to decay to 125 mg?
5. Cobalt-60 has a half-life of 5.3 years. If a pellet that has been in storage for 26.5 years
contains 14.5 g of cobalt-60, how much of this radioisotope was present when the
pellet was put into storage?
6. A 1000 kg block of phosphorous-32, which has a half-life of 14.3 days, is stored for
100.1 days. At the end of this period, how much phosphorous-32 remains?
7. A sample of air from a basement is collected to test for the presence of radon-222, which has
a half-life of 3.8 days. However, delays prevent the sample from being tested until 7.6 days
have passed. Measurements indicate the presence of 6.5 µg of radon-222.
How much radon-222 was present in the sample when it was initially collected?
8. A 0.500 M solution of iodine-131, which has a half-life of 8.0 days, is prepared. After
40.0 days, how much iodine will remain in 1.0 L of solution? Express the results in moles.
9. The half-life of sodium-25 is 1.0 minute. Starting with 1 kg of this isotope, how much will
remain after an hour?
10. What is the half-life of polonium-214 if, after 820 seconds, a 1.0 g sample decays to
31.25 mg?
Nuclear Equations
1. Bombardment of aluminum-27 by alpha particles produces phosphorous-30 and one other
particle. Write the nuclear equation for this reaction and identify the other particle.
2. Plutonium-239 can be produced by bombarding uranium-238 with alpha particles.
How many neutrons will be produced as a by-product of each reaction?
Write the nuclear equation for this reaction.
3. Neutron bombardment of plutonium-239 yields americium-240 and another particle.
Write the nuclear equation for this reaction.
4. When bombarded with neutrons, lithium-6 produces an alpha particle and an isotope of
hydrogen. Write the nuclear equation for this reaction.
What isotope of hydrogen is produced?
5. With what particle would you bombard bismuth-209 to produce astatine-211 and two
neutrons? Express this reaction in the form of a nuclear equation.
Name:
Chemistry: Vocabulary – Nuclear
Directions: In your own words describe these terms. For some of the terms, you may need to consult sources
such as a wiki or dictionary.
1. alpha particle
2. beta particle
3. binding energy
4. chain reaction
5. radioactive decay
6. electronegativity
7. fission
8. fusion
9. gamma rays
10. Geiger-Muller Counter
11. half-life
12. isotope
13. nuclear shell model
14. neutron
15. proton
16. positron
17. radiation
18. carbon dating
19. strong force
20. transmutation
The Chernobyl Disaster
Purpose
To explore how a nuclear accident can affect biological systems.
Context
By examining the case of the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in 1986, students study the adverse
effects of high doses of radiation on biological systems. This concept is best elucidated by the
use of nuclear energy. In comparison to the burning of fossil fuels, the fission of the nuclei of
heavy elements releases an immense quantity of energy in relation to the mass of material
used. However, the waste products of fission are highly radioactive and remain so for
thousands of years. (Science for All Americans, p. 115.) Technological advances are always
associated with some degree of human error. The 1986 Chernobyl meltdown in the former
Soviet Union is an unfortunate example of human error and lack of safety measures. The
resulting radioactivity has affected millions of people and the entire surrounding environment.
It is important when teaching these concepts to students that they also recognize that radiation
has had positive effects as well. For example, the discovery of X rays in 1895 was a great
breakthrough in diagnosing diseases because it enabled doctors to "see" inside the body
without having to operate. Newer X-ray technologies such as CT (computerized tomography)
scans have revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting almost every part
of the body.
Materials:
• The Chernobyl Disaster student E-Sheet
Note: In the Going Online section of the E-Sheet, students will answer questions using
an online tool. As an alternative, students can answer the same questions on the
printable Chernobyl's Effects student sheet.
• Chernobyl Disaster's Effects on Biological Systems student sheet
• The Chernobyl Disaster teacher sheet
Motivation
Using The Chernobyl Disaster student E-Sheet, refer students to Building Blocks of Life. Go over
this page with students to review the levels of biological organization. Ask students to think
about how nuclear radiation might affect life and discuss whether the effects of a nuclear
disaster might be felt at every level of biological organization.
Development
Tell students that they will now examine one toxic incident that occurred in 1986 in the Soviet
Union. One of the four reactors at the Chernobyl generating system melted down, leading to
the release of toxic radioactive chemicals over vast areas of Europe and the contamination of
thousands of people. Refer students to The Chernobyl Disaster student E-Sheet, which will
guide them through an exploration of this issue. The E-Sheet is divided into three sections and
after each section students will be directed to check in with their teacher to discuss their
answers to the questions on the E-Sheet. Answers can be found in The Chernobyl Disaster
teacher key. If you prefer to have students answer the questions offline, you can use the
Chernobyl's Effects student sheet provided.
If, during the course of this lesson, students become concerned about their own exposure to
radiation, you may wish to point out to them that most of the radiation that we are receiving is
naturally occurring background radiation over which we have little control. Some level of
exposure to additional radiation is unavoidable. It appears, however, that the cancer risk from
very small-dose exposure is quite low.
Assessment
Distribute the Chernobyl Disaster's Effects on Biological Systems student sheet. This student
sheet asks students to determine how the toxic radioactive chemicals released by the
Chernobyl meltdown affected each level of biological organization. Students should draw upon
the knowledge gained from the online readings. Students can work in small groups to complete
the student sheet. Then discuss the answers with the class. The Chernobyl Disaster teacher
sheet provides possible answers.
Extensions
To learn more about the Chernobyl disaster, have students watch the BBC's World Report. This
audio-visual report is 27 minutes long and describes the toxic effects of the Chernobyl
meltdown on human life and the environment.
Radiation Health Effects Information Resource, from the Baylor College of Medicine, provides
an extensive amount of information about the health effects of radiation, especially as they
pertain to the Chernobyl disaster. Particularly helpful are the "Questions and Answers."
Nuclear Chemistry: Looking Ahead
In the microscopic world of atoms subatomic particles play a leading role in the energy exchange
between anything with mass. The amount of energy that is released from such a small amount of
matter like atoms has the potential to destroy with tremendous force, power the largest cities in the
world, and keep our solar systems radiated for throughout its lifetime.
Included in this lesson are projected images used to represent the abstract concept of the very small
Part One
A Refresher on atoms and their components
1. Atoms are the building blocks for all things made of matter
2. Elements are the unique types of atoms that differentiate things
3. The number of protons in an atom is its atomic number and dictates what element it is
4. While electrons may escape an atom the positive charge of protons holds the atom together
5. Neutron count varies and they have no charge
6. The various numbers of neutrons in an element are its isotopes
The Issue with nuclear chemistry- What’s wrong here?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Have students identify the components of the nucleus according to
their charge
Leading in with the concept of electrical charge note that the
electrons are repelling each other with distance but held to the atom
Ask students to identify any problems with the nucleus
Why are the protons not repelling each other?
Why doesn’t the nucleus automatically split apart?
Note that a helium nucleus is simply to protons with no neutrons
The Four natural forces of nature
Prompt students with the four terms and ask them to comment on what they know about each and give
examples:
1. Gravity – governs planetary masses and movement
2. Electromagnetism – a unified theory of both components including light
3. Strong Nuclear – governs nuclear stability
4. Weak Nuclear – governs nuclear instability
These are in order of readily available knowledge from the students. They will likely need help with #2
and most likely with #3-4.
Explain to the students that while the electrical force binds atoms together with the opposing charges of
electrons and protons, the strong nuclear force is overpowering the electrical repulsion of the bound
protons in the nucleus. Mention that the weak nuclear force is what allows atoms to actually split.
A Conversation about Albert Einstein
Ask students to identify the most famous scientist in the last century. The answer will always lead to
Einstein due to his intellectual genius and his charismatic nature.
• Mention that his theory of gravitation is still held as a standard today and used in space travel
• Ask if students can identify whether he ever won a Nobel Prize and for what
• Note that Einstein spent his young years developing theoretical sciences with peers who helped
create standards for today’s understanding of nuclear chemistry
• End with the fact that he spent his dying days trying to formulate a theory which encompasses
all four theories into one idea. All but gravity works so far.
• Students are given an article from the web that helps to elaborate on a unified field theory and
are asked to read silently for 5 minutes
• Once time is up students will be asked to write for 5 minutes explaining what they believe is
important or significant about the article
• Students will then be allowed to ask questions about things that they partially understand or
confused about
Part Two
What is beyond the proton?
Students are directed to look at the periodic table on the wall and determine which the smallest
element is. Note that the simplest hydrogen atom is a one proton and one electron along with the
refresher that its ion (minus its electron) is merely one proton. Ask the students whether there is
anything that they have learned beyond that set of facts.
Students will watch a three minute film on subatomic particles such as quarks along with the latest
research and experimentation taking place with particle acceleration. Ask students to identify ideas
which they have heard of before and which they never thought existed.
Quarks video
Final Note
Mention that he CERN Laboratory sits astride the Franco–Swiss border near Geneva. There they are in a
race with a team in the United States to find the theoretical Higgs Boson that could help to unite the
four force theory.
This lesson involves reading and understanding of abstract concepts in advanced sciences. The strategy
used in this lesson is grounded in their defining of information by reading and writing about abstract
concepts since it allows students to interact with a written piece and connect it to their own language.
As Harste mentions in his article on literacy, students make meaning through the process of
communication take steps toward learning by writing what is on their minds (p. 9). While students are
engaged in conversation about what they already know about science concepts, they are also making
connections from old to new knowledge by reading and writing out their thoughts. This is especially
important in the sciences since the jargon on its own carries little meaning to most but describing them
in terms of what students already know helps to make solid connections.
Nuclear Fission and Fusion Reactions Purpose of the Lesson To increase students’ knowledge of nuclear fission and fusion; how they are alike, how they differ and how they may be used in generating power Essential Questions What are nuclear fission and fusion? How are they alike and how are they different? How is the fission process used in a nuclear reactor? Resources Graphic Organizers: KWL, Venn diagram located at the following web address: http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/ Computer and internet access for word processing, PowerPoint application, and accessing resource materials Visuals: Slides will be used to graphically represent fusion reactions, fission reactions, nuclear reactors Students: Writing notebooks Articles: “Nuclear Fission” and “Nuclear Fusion” which may be accessed at: http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear‐power1.htm http://science.howstuffworks.com/fusion‐reactor1.htm Websites: Nuclear Power Plant Demonstration http://www.ida.liu.se/~her/npp/demo.html How Nuclear Power Works http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear‐power2.htm Nuclear Fission http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear‐power1.htm Nuclear Fusion Animation http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~acarpi/NSC‐2/NuclearFusion.html Objectives: Upon the completion of the discussion, activities, and reading assignments, students will: 1. Define nuclear energy, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion and nuclear chain reaction 2. Describe the process of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion and evaluate how the processes are alike and how they are different 3. Explain how nuclear reactors are used to produce electrical energy Lesson Procedures: 1. Introduce the lesson ‐ Using a KWL chart, ask for student responses for “What I Know” about Nuclear Fission and Fusion. 2. Students will be placed in small cooperative groups to share their responses to “What I Know.” Complete another KWL to capture each group’s knowledge. Each group will share responses and these will be listed on the board. NOTE: Any student misconceptions may be noted as “What I Need to Know.” 3. Give students a copy of the “Fission ‐ Fusion Anticipation Guide” to complete, based upon the groups’ responses on the KWL. The guide is composed of selected questions from the articles, to be completed as a before‐reading activity. Students will record responses on the left‐hand side of the anticipation guide. 4. Provide articles and instruct students to complete the right side of the anticipation guide as they read the article. This is a during‐reading activity. 5. After students have read the article, ask students to read selected questions from the anticipation guide, determine whether the statement is true or false, and discuss the rationale for their response. 6. REVIEW Nuclear Fission using the information available at the following Web site: http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear‐power1.htm 7. REVIEW Nuclear Fusion using the information available at the following Web site: http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~acarpi/NSC‐2/NuclearFusion.html 8. As a formative assessment, ask students to complete a Venn diagram, comparing and contrasting nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. 9. Demonstrate with an animated nuclear energy reactor to gain understanding of reactor structure and the working process. If students have access to a computer lab allow them to interact with the online media lesson. The nuclear power plant demonstration and a graphic of the design may be accessed at the following URL addresses: http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear‐power2.htm http://www.nrc.gov/reading‐rm/basic‐ref/students/reactors.html 10. Ask students to write a summary of their observations and develop questions relating to the animation and information. 11. Share the questions with classmates and discuss to ensure understanding. 12. Students will submit their diagrams and reflective summaries. Assessments: Venn diagram and Lesson reflections/summaries