Eric Smith- Nuclear Chemistry

Course goals and objectives
This course will be used to introduce Nuclear Chemistry to high school student based upon the California Chemistry Standards in Science:

“Nuclear processes are those in which an atomic nucleus changes, including radioactive decay of naturally occurring and human-made isotopes, nuclear fission, and nuclear fusion.”

The course can be taught in either a blended model or self contained online course. It must include an instructor to deliver instruction either face to face or asynchronous lecture to the learners. It will include a laboratory component to meet the content standards for science, a writing assignment, guided practice problems and practical applications of nuclear chemistry.

The objectives include the following:

• Students will be able to define nuclide and nucleon.
• Students will be able to explain (written) how nuclear forces hold the neutron and protons together in the nucleus.
• Given the graph called, “The Band of Stability”, students will be able to interpret the relationship between the neutron to proton ratio in the nucleus.
• Students will be able to define nuclear reaction.
• Students will be able to define transmutation.
• Given an incomplete transmutation nuclear reaction, students will be able to determine the missing product or reactant in the transmutation nuclear reaction.
• Students will be able to define nuclear radiation and radioactive decay.
• Given a Periodic Table of Elements, students will be able to give three examples of elements which have a radioactive nuclide.
• Students will be able to recall the nuclide formula (verbally and written) for the four types of radioactive particles (alpha, beta, positron, gamma).
• Students will be able to define half-life.
• Given the half-life and beginning mass of a radioactive substance, the students will be able to calculate the remaining amount of the radioactive material.
• Given the time and the change in mass of the radioactive material, the student will be able to calculate the half-life of the radioactive substance.
• Given the initial mass, the final mass, and the half-life, the student will be able to calculate the amount of time for radioactive decay to the final mass.
• Students will be able to explain (written) how half-lives can be used to date living and non-living items on Earth.
• Given a Periodic Table of Elements, students will be able to list the Transuranium elements.
• Given a word problem describing a transmutation reaction, the student will be able write a balanced nuclear equation written in nuclide form.
• Students will be able to list the materials that can block the three most common radioactive particles (alpha, beta, and gamma) can penetrate.
• Students will be able to explain the use of radioactive nuclide in medicine, agriculture, and production of electricity.
• Student will be able to describe the process of creating energy through fission.
• Students will be able to describe the process of creating energy through fusion.