2.6 How do fusion and fission compare as viable nuclear energy power sources?
Material from Recent Physics Teachers Conferences and other sources
Radioactivity 1.67 MB
Powerpoint by Dr David Hoxley and Bob Aikenhead of Latrobe University
Tritium: The Back Story 45.6 kB
A 3 page Word document about the properties, risks and uses of Tritium. The document was written following a sensationalised article that appeared in the Age in February, 2017.
Text Resources
- Caro, McDonell & Spicer 1980, Modern Physics, 3rd edn, Edward Arnold, London.
- Hore-Lacy, I & Hubery, R 1997, Nuclear Electricity: An Australian Perspective, Australian Mining Industry Council, Melbourne.
- Rhodes, R 1988, The Making of the Atomic Bomb, Penguin.
- Scheider, W 2001, A Serious but not Ponderous Book about Nuclear Energy, Cavendish Press, Ann Arbor, from Cavendish Science
Audiovisual Resources
It is recommended that teachers should view any video before purchase.
Marcom Projects: Nuclear Power, Einstein's Equation of Life and Death, What is Nuclear Energy?
Useful Websites
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA)
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) website contains information on disposal of waste, Chernobyl and Australia’s replacement reactor.
ANSTO - Nuclear Science in Society
A Science resources for students and teachers in Years 7 to 10. The Resources pages in teh Teacher s section has an extensive list of websites: pro, anti and UN based.
A Hungarian Nuclear energy site
A Hungarian Nuclear energy site, mostly in English.
Nuclear Accidents
A page on nuclear accidents on a Hungarian Nuclear energy site, mostly in English.
I am radioactive! or my technetium scintigraphy: You tube
A Youtube video (9:53 min) A young woman monitors her radioactivity before during and after a Technetium examination of her thyroid. She has an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid. She uses a geiger counter reading in microsieverts per hour to measure the count. She speaks with the doctor in German, but in English to the camera and in the narration. She shows the gamma ray scan of her thyroid and observes the count over the following hours. She also tests the radioactivity of her urine, as well as the sediment from its distillation. You can also check her flickr for more results. She also answers the many questions from viewers, including the difference between Tc-99m and Tc-99 and how the Tc targets a particular organ.
Finding Uranium in Nature: You tube
A Youtube video (9:51 min) The young woman from the Technetium video goes to a Uranium mine. She measures the radioactivity on the way to the mine and among the rubble. There is a short section when she goes underground with the engineer speaking in German, but the sections after that are quite useful. She finds samples of uranium ore, revealing that the radiation quickly drops off with distance. Back at home she tests with UV light.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The INIS is the responsibility of the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency. INIS is one of the world's largest collections of published information on the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. It offers online access to a unique collection of non-conventional literature. The information is technical and search terms need to be specific.
Assessment Ideas
Fear goes Nuclear 5.92 MB
Two articles on Fukoshima from a magazine, one four page and one three page.
Article on Fukushima 964 kB
An article comparing the risk of nuclear radiation from Fukushima with other health risks.
A Practice Media Response SAC on Chernobyl 152 kB
A practice SAC with sitting conditions, performance descriptors as well as questions.
Radioactivity SAC - Media Analysis 138 kB
A SAC tiitled 'Fukushima - All Hyped Up' with sitting conditions, performance descriptors as well as questions. Article is not included.