Identify the types of radiation and compare nuclear fission and fusion
Standards:
PS1.C: Nuclear Processes Nuclear processes, including fusion, fission, and radioactive decays of unstable nuclei, involve release or absorption of energy. The total number of neutrons plus protons does not change in any nuclear process.
HS-PS1-8: In nuclear processes, atoms are not conserved, but the total number of protons plus neutrons is conserved.
PS1.C: Nuclear Processes Spontaneous radioactive decays follow a characteristic exponential decay law. Nuclear lifetimes allow radiometric dating to be used to determine the ages of rocks and other materials. (secondary)
Topics:
Fission, fusion, and radioactive decay of unstable nuclei
Radiometric dating
Essential Questions:
How prevalent is natural radioactivity on earth?
Should there be concern for our health?
Is radioactivity a blessing or a curse?