PHYSICS 11 UNIT 6 Nuclear Physics
This unit looks at nuclear physics. Specifically it looks at two nuclear processes, fission and fusion. In a nutshell fusion is the process of two nuclei joining together and is what powers the sun. Fission is the process of nuclei splitting apart and powers all our nuclear reactors and bombs. We will look at the pros and cons of nuclear reactors and try to understand the incredible destructive power of a nuclear bomb. As soon to be voting citizens you will at sometime be asked for your opinion, I hope to help make your opinion informed.
Resources
Assignments
1. Nuclear Processes
You must do this assignment.
An overview of the nuclear processes. Read and answer questions.
These power point (keynote) slides may help you make sense of the reading. We will be going over these in class as well.
2. Nuclear Power
Pick two from the list below.
You also have the choice of picking your own articles of suitable length and content.
Really you should pick two that give you an idea of the main issues which are dealing with waste fuel, accidents at power plants, and the pros of nuclear power. Although there are many draw backs to nuclear power there are also pros, which is why many countries, Canada included, use nuclear power.
a) Welcome to Yucca Mountain from Discover magazine.
A bit of an easier read than choice b on the same topic. Note that "Bruce" is an imaginary character who is part of a possible future.
Complete a Media Report.
b) Yucca Mountain from Sci Am.
An in depth article on a possible waste disposal site. You will hear this name many times this unit.
Complete a Media Report.
c) Search for a Nuclear Graveyard from Globe and Mail
As it is from a news paper, this is an approachable read and is Canadian in focus.
Complete a Media Report.
d) Chernobyl from Sci Am
This is the worst disaster of all time for nuclear power. The area is still permanently evacuated.
You can also find many videos on this accident on you tube and if you wish you watch the videos instead of read the article you can still do a media report of sorts on the videos. Complete a Media Report.
e) Nuclear Energy Overview from NY Times
A good read that is not as dry as some of the other choices from Sci Am. Complete a Media Report.
f) Fukushima from Sci Am
This is a link to an article on Scientific American with further links to related articles. There are a ton of articles out there on Fukushima, the NY Times has some good material if you find this one too technical a read. Complete a Media Report.
g) The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power from Discovery Channel.
As mentioned, although there are lots of pros and cons. If you choose this article do not do a media report, instead comment (at least three bullet points) on each of the ten topics and if they are a pro or con and why.
Other Nuclear Power articles
Danger Lurking in the Trees - an article on a topic I had not come across before, the danger of a fire in the forest surrounding Chernobyl. It turns out the forest has absorbed a lot of radioactive particles that would be re-released.
3. Nuclear Weapons
Pick one from the list below. As I have already given you one, Weapons of Mass Disruption, you are done unless you want to pick one of these instead of a second nuclear power article.
a) India Pakistan and the Bomb from Sci Am
This article is a fairly straight forward read. Looks at two countries at war who both have the bomb.
Complete a media report, back side only and these questions. This old quirky National Film Board of video looks at the concept of escalation and although bizarre is worth the 8 mins.
b) Weapons of Mass Disruption from Sci Am
This article looks at the post 9/11 world and the real danger of terrorists exploding nuclear waste to spread radiation and fear.
This article describes a Canadian story of stolen radioactive material that could be used to build such a bomb.
Complete these questions.
c) Holes in the missile shield from Sci AmOnce every few years some government announces that they are going to build a system to shoot down nuclear missiles and then they will be safe. In reality it is impossible to reliably protect against a strike as all of the protections are easy to fool.
Complete a Media Report.
e) Nuclear Accidents Summary and this recent story from Wired.
Perhaps the scariest article of them all chronicles some of the near misses with nuclear weapons to date. If you pick this article pick your "favorite" near miss and produce a timeline with six other of events on it. Paper or digital is fine.
4. Related Videos
If you Love this Planet, a very old movie from the NFB. Although it is old it is still worth watching.
National Geographic video on Chernobyl
Resources
Assignments
1. Nuclear Processes
You must do this assignment.
An overview of the nuclear processes. Read and answer questions.
These power point (keynote) slides may help you make sense of the reading. We will be going over these in class as well.
2. Nuclear Power
Pick two from the list below.
You also have the choice of picking your own articles of suitable length and content.
Really you should pick two that give you an idea of the main issues which are dealing with waste fuel, accidents at power plants, and the pros of nuclear power. Although there are many draw backs to nuclear power there are also pros, which is why many countries, Canada included, use nuclear power.
a) Welcome to Yucca Mountain from Discover magazine.
A bit of an easier read than choice b on the same topic. Note that "Bruce" is an imaginary character who is part of a possible future.
Complete a Media Report.
b) Yucca Mountain from Sci Am.
An in depth article on a possible waste disposal site. You will hear this name many times this unit.
Complete a Media Report.
c) Search for a Nuclear Graveyard from Globe and Mail
As it is from a news paper, this is an approachable read and is Canadian in focus.
Complete a Media Report.
d) Chernobyl from Sci Am
This is the worst disaster of all time for nuclear power. The area is still permanently evacuated.
You can also find many videos on this accident on you tube and if you wish you watch the videos instead of read the article you can still do a media report of sorts on the videos. Complete a Media Report.
e) Nuclear Energy Overview from NY Times
A good read that is not as dry as some of the other choices from Sci Am. Complete a Media Report.
f) Fukushima from Sci Am
This is a link to an article on Scientific American with further links to related articles. There are a ton of articles out there on Fukushima, the NY Times has some good material if you find this one too technical a read. Complete a Media Report.
g) The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power from Discovery Channel.
As mentioned, although there are lots of pros and cons. If you choose this article do not do a media report, instead comment (at least three bullet points) on each of the ten topics and if they are a pro or con and why.
Other Nuclear Power articles
Danger Lurking in the Trees - an article on a topic I had not come across before, the danger of a fire in the forest surrounding Chernobyl. It turns out the forest has absorbed a lot of radioactive particles that would be re-released.
3. Nuclear Weapons
Pick one from the list below. As I have already given you one, Weapons of Mass Disruption, you are done unless you want to pick one of these instead of a second nuclear power article.
a) India Pakistan and the Bomb from Sci Am
This article is a fairly straight forward read. Looks at two countries at war who both have the bomb.
Complete a media report, back side only and these questions. This old quirky National Film Board of video looks at the concept of escalation and although bizarre is worth the 8 mins.
b) Weapons of Mass Disruption from Sci Am
This article looks at the post 9/11 world and the real danger of terrorists exploding nuclear waste to spread radiation and fear.
This article describes a Canadian story of stolen radioactive material that could be used to build such a bomb.
Complete these questions.
c) Holes in the missile shield from Sci AmOnce every few years some government announces that they are going to build a system to shoot down nuclear missiles and then they will be safe. In reality it is impossible to reliably protect against a strike as all of the protections are easy to fool.
Complete a Media Report.
e) Nuclear Accidents Summary and this recent story from Wired.
Perhaps the scariest article of them all chronicles some of the near misses with nuclear weapons to date. If you pick this article pick your "favorite" near miss and produce a timeline with six other of events on it. Paper or digital is fine.
4. Related Videos
If you Love this Planet, a very old movie from the NFB. Although it is old it is still worth watching.
National Geographic video on Chernobyl