Education Technology


Nuclear Decay and Chain Reactions

Activity Overview

Students determine the decay constant and half-life and begin to look at nuclear fission by simulating a chain reaction.

Key Steps

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    Students are shown animations of alpha, beta, and gamma emissions. Each animation shows a radiation source (black box) and two electrically charged plates (solid lines).

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    Students examine the three nuclear decay equations that show three fission reactions that a U-235 nucleus can undergo.

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    Students are shown a simulation of the early stages of a nuclear chain reaction.