Nuclear Radiation

What to do? Design a PowerPoint presentation on Nuclear Radiation

With each slide

• include images
• highlight the important terms/ phrases in each dot point 

You may copy and paste the points from this page!

Slide1: Title: Nuclear Radiation

Slide 2: Describe the nuclear model of the atom?

• Atoms are made up of a positively charged nucleus.
• The nucleus is the centre of an atom and contains most of the mass.
• The nucleus consists of protons and neutrons. (Highlighted to stand out. You do the rest)
• Negatively charged electrons orbit the nucleus of an atom.
• Atoms are made up of mostly empty space.

Slide 3: Describe the role of three sub atomic particles found in an atom

• The number of protons determines the identity of an element. This is called Atomic Number
• Neutrons help stablise the nucleus.
• Electrons are involved in chemical reactions

Slide 4: What are isotopes?

Isotopes are atoms of an element that have a different number of neutrons.

Slide 5: Describe the isotopes of the element Carbon

• All Carbon atoms have 6 protons.
• Isotopes have a different number of neutrons.
• Carbon-12 has 6 neutrons
• Carbon-13 has 7 neutrons
• Carbon-14 has 8 neutrons

Slide 6. What are radioisotopes?

• Radioisotopes are atoms of elements that emit nuclear radiation.
• Radioisotopes have an unstable nucleus. 
• Radioisotopes have too few or too many neutrons in the nucleus or the nucleus is just too big.
• Carbon-14 has an unstable nucleus. It emits radiation and is called a radioisotope.

Slide 7: How can nuclear radiation be detected?

Nuclear radiation can be detected by

• a Geiger Muller tube attached to a counter
• photographic film
• a cloud chamber

Slide 8: What are three types of nuclear radiation?

Alpha decay

Beta decay

Gamma decay

Slide 9: What is an alpha particle?

An alpha particle is a postively charged particle that is emited from the nucleus of an atom.

Slide 10: What is a beta particle?

A beta particle is a high energy electron that is emiited from the nucleus of an atom

Slide 11: What is gamma radiation

Gamma radiation is high energy electromagnetic radiation.

What to do now?

1. Animate the points in your slide 

2. Answer the Summary Questions on a slide

1. What particles are found in the nucleus of an atom?
2. What charge is the nucleus of an atom?
3. What is different between the isotopes of an element?
4. What is the same between the isotopes of an element?
5. What is the role of a neutron in an atom?
6. What is a radioisotope?
7. Name three types of nulcear radiation
8. State three ways nuclear radiation can be detected?
9. What is gamma radiation?
10. What is the difference between alpha and beta radiation?

3. Add further slides (Student Research)

Good link: Nuclear radiation

1. Describe the uses of radioisotopes in industry
2. Describe the uses of radiosotopes in medicine
3. What is radioactive half life?
4. What are the half lives of Cobalt-60, Americium-241, Iodine-131, Plutonium-239 , Iodine-129, and Darmstadtium-267
5. Cobalt-60 is a common radioisotope used in industry. How is it made?
6. How does a Geiger Muller tube work?
7. How does a cloud chamber work?