project from eduScapes
includes two additional companion locations. So don't
miss visiting (1) Nuclear
Events, Incidents & Disasters and
(2) Biographies of
the Nuclear Age. Those supplementary
webpages house hundreds of informational resource sites
that are directly related to the topic. If you don't find
what you are looking for here, then explore some more at
the above locations.
- Easier - The nuclear age
began with the identification of the nucleus or nuclei of
a cell and the discovery of large amounts energy released
by the splitting of atoms. Nuclear science has led to the
atomic bomb, nuclear power, x-rays, and radiation
- Harder - The nuclear age
began around 1900 with the discovery of radioactivity and
the nucleus. It continued with examinations of the
properties, structure, and reactions of atomic nuclei.
The nucleus contains two kinds of particles, neutrons and
protons, and makeup over 99.9 percent of an atom's mass.
Protons have a positive electrical charge, and neutrons
have none. The number of protons determines the chemical
element of an atom, while the number of neutrons
determine the isotope of that element that it represents.
Neutrons and protons are bound and packed together into a
nuclei at extremely high density. All nuclei of any
element have the same high density. The force or strong
interaction holding nuclei together is called nuclear
- Most of the information about atomic nuclei has been
gained by study of nuclear reactions. Particle
accelerators are used to create a tiny beam of protons,
electrons, or other particles and elevate their speed to
near the speed of light. The particles are then directed
to strike a target nucleus, causing a reaction.
Scientists then use high-precision tools to analyze the
emitted radiation. Nuclear reactions can involve the
fission (splitting) of very heavy nuclei or the fusion
(combining) of two very light nuclei. Both fission and
fusion reactions release large amounts of energy. For
most purposes, the energy is controlled to release in a
slow, safe pattern.
- Nuclear reactions have been utilized in nuclear
weapons and power generation. Research in nuclear physics
has also led to use of radioisotopes and new techniques
for diagnosing and treating disease, sterilizing and
preserving food, and exploring for oil.
- ABC's of Nuclear
Science from Lawrence Berkeley National
- Here you can learn about basic nuclear science and
radioactivity. The site includes experiments, a glossary
of terms, and safety information.
- Other Related Websites:
- 2) Lessons on Nuclear Physics from Physics
- 3) Nuclear Chemistry by A. Carpi from
- 4) Nuclear Energy - Fission and Fusion from The
Energy Story http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter13.html
- 5) Nuclear Physics by C.R. Nave, Georgia State
University, at HyperPhysics
- 6) Nuclear Chemistry Lessons from Chem Zone
Years From Trinity from the The Seattle
- Here is a chronicle of the nuclear age. The focus is
nuclear weapons, not power, beginning with the first atom
bomb test in Trinity, New Mexico.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Atomic Archive from AJ Software &
- 3) Race to Build the Atomic Bomb by D. Prouty,
Contra Costa County Office of Education
- 4) Trinity: 50 Years Later - The Nuclear Age's
Blinding Dawn from Albuquerque Journal
Nuclear Radiation Works (Part 1 of 4) by M. Brain
- Nuclear radiation can be both extremely beneficial
and extremely dangerous. It just depends on how we use
- Related Website from HowStuffWorks:
- 2) How Nuclear Power Works (Part 1 of 3) by M.
Reaction: Why Do Americans Fear Nuclear Power?
from PBS Frontline
- Here you find readings on the issue of nuclear power,
such as how it works and why Americans fear it, plus lots
- Related Websites:
- 2) Economics of Nuclear Power http://www.uic.com.au/nip08.htm
- 3) Frequently Asked Questions About Nuclear Energy by
- 4) Nuclear Energy from Tennessee Valley
- 5) Nuclear Now http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/progress/nuclearnow.html
- 6) Nuclear Power http://www.geocities.com/nigson0690/
- 7) Nuclear Power: A Clean, Safe Alternative by J.
- 8) Nuclear Power Industry: A Brief Review http://www.btinternet.com/~mike.ferris/nuclear.htm
- 9) Return of Nuclear Power By H. Rizvi from Tierra
- 10) Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors from Uranium
Information Centre http://www.uic.com.au/nip14.htm
- 11) Questions and Answers about Nuclear Energy from
Univ. of Missouri-Rolla American Nuclear Society
- After visiting several of the websites,
complete one or more of the following
- Stop A Meltdown! The control-room
operators of the Kärnobyl nuclear power
plant are telecommuting and are running the
plant through the Web. Go to the online
simulation at Control
The Nuclear Power Plant (Demonstration)
by H. Eriksson. Start by reading the
instructions, then try to keep the reactor
stable when component failures occur!
- Take A Nuclear Quiz. Test your
knowledge of nuclear energy at Quiz:
About the Nuclear Industry from the
World Nuclear Association.
- Complete A Nuclear WebQuest. Adapt
or follow the instructions to one of the
- 1) Debate Over the Atomic Bomb by T.
- 2) Nuclear Chemistry WebQuest by B.
- 3) Nuclear Power WebQuest http://www.bonduel.k12.wi.us/sdob_pages/instruction_res/webfolios/nuclear_power/
- Drop the Bomb Alternatives. Half a
century later, people still debate the U.S.'s
bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end
of World War II. Research the events
connected to the A-bomb use. Then imagine the
best alternative scenarios. What would have
probably occurred if the atomic bomb had not
been detonated? Present your alternative
history and summarize its affects on the cold
war, international relations, and nuclear
- Debate Nuclear Power. Examine the
ongoing debate over nuclear power. Consider
issues including the demand for energy,
nuclear waste, safety and operation,
sustainable resources, viable alternative
power sources, and the proliferation of
nuclear materials. Identify the strengths and
weaknesses of both sides - for and against
continued and expanded nuclear power. Then
decide which side you support and detail the
arguments and support for your decision.
- Create A Nuclear Poster. First
identify the message content or aim for the
poster; disarmament, safety, nuclear energy,
nuclear defense, or other nuclear concerns.
Then create an eye-catching poster that packs
the message to its viewers. Display your
- Campaign For A Nuclear Hero.
Select a person in nuclear history whom you
admire. Research your choice and then create
a multimedia presentation that nominates them
as "Nuclear Person of the Year." You may find
some help at a companion 42eXplore
of the Nuclear Age from
- Write About A Nuclear Event. Pick
a specific time or short time-period in
nuclear history and imagine that you are a
key figure in the events. This is your chance
to be a nuclear scientist, a historic person,
and to imagine the experiences of a different
time and place. Write a journal that details
your feelings about what your character is
involved in and experiencing.
- Create A Nuclear History Mural.
Use the artwork to depict the major events
and contributions of nuclear history. Make it
a visual timeline. Make your mural colorful
and attractive but be sure that it is
accurate and illustrates the relationships
between events, discoveries, and
- Websites By Kids For Kids
Incidents from Father Ryan High
- This project was created to promote awareness about
nuclear power, weapons, and the terrifying aftermath of
- More Websites
- American Nuclear
- This organization focuses on nuclear science and
technology including medicine, nuclear energy, food
irradiation, and nuclear techniques used in manufacturing
and processing industries.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Canadian Nuclear Society http://www.cns-snc.ca/
- 3) OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (France) http://www.nea.fr/
- 4) University of Missouri-Rolla Student Chapter of
the American Nuclear Society
of the Atomic Scientists from Educational
Foundation for Nuclear Science (EFNS)
- Well-known for its "doomsday clock", the mission of
the EFNS is to educate citizens about global security
issues, especially the continuing dangers posed by
nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, and about
the appropriate roles of nuclear technology.
- Not-To-Be-Missed Section:
- 2) Early Years of the Bomb http://www.thebulletin.org/research/collections/erlyearsofbmb.html
- Bureau of
- This site links to locations of atomic explosions and
display exhibits on the development of atomic devices or
that contain vehicles that were designed to deliver
Table of Nuclear Weapon from Tokyo Physicians
for Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
- Here charts chronicle the development and history of
the nuclear bomb from the 1700s to 1997.
Attacks & Boomers from National Museum of
American History, Smithsonian Institution
- Discover how nuclear powered submarines were built,
operated and used during the Cold War.
- This site promotes the potential of an almost
limitless source of energy for future generations, but it
also presents some formidable scientific and engineering
Nuclear Medicine Works (Part 1 of 8) by C.C.
Freudenrich from HowStuffWorks
- This site explains some of the techniques and terms
used in nuclear medicine. You'll learn how radiation
helps doctors see deeper inside the human body than they
- Related Websites:
- 2) Radioactivity, Isotopes and Radioisotopes from
Nature, Nuclear Reactors and Cyclotrons for Use in
Nuclear Medicine from Australian Nuclear Science and
Technology Organisation (ANSTO) http://www.ansto.gov.au/info/reports/radboyd.html
- 3) Society of Nuclear Medicine http://www.snm.org/
Radon Works (Part 1 of 5) by M. Brain and C.
Freudenrich from HowStuffWorks
- Radon gas is completely natural. It forms during the
decay of the element uranium-238. Radon gas is
radioactive, and in tightly insulated houses it can
accumulate to concentrations that pose a health
Atomic Energy Agency
- IAEA is an independent intergovernmental, science and
technology-based organization, in the United Nations
family, that serves as the global focal point for nuclear
Age Timeline from U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Environmental
- This historical timeline traces the nuclear age from
(1895-1993) the discovery of x-rays and radioactivity to
the explosion of the first atomic bomb through the cold
war to its thaw to the cleanup of the nuclear weapons
- Nuclear Control
- The NCI is an anti-proliferation group formed by
scholars. The site contributes to the debate over
reprocessing and whether it really increases risk of
spreading plutonium and proliferation.
- Nuclear Energy
- This site provides nuclear facts and quotes,
environmental preservation information and details about
careers and education in nuclear energy.
Files from Nuclear Age Peace
- Explore political and ethical dilemmas of the Nuclear
- Nuclear Information
and Resource Service (NIRS)
- This information and networking center is for
citizens and environmental organizations concerned about
nuclear power, radioactive waste, radiation, and
sustainable energy issues.
- Other Antinuclear Websites:
- 2) Background Briefing on Radioactive Pollution
- 3) Citizens Alert (Nevada) http://www.citizenalert.org/
- 4) Nuclear Campaign Overview from Greenpeace
- 5) Opponents of Nuclear Power (Links-site) http://pw1.netcom.com/~res95/energy/nuclear/opposed.html
- 6) Pathways to Destruction from Greenpeace
- 7) Sustainable Energy and Anti-Uranium Service
- Nuclear Regulatory
- This government group regulates U.S. commercial
nuclear power plants and the civilian use of nuclear
- Related Websites:
- 2) Nuclear Safety Directorate (United Kingdom)
- 3) Office of Nuclear Energy, Science &
Technology, U.S. Department of Energy
Weapons from Union of Concerned
- This organization employs analysis, policy
initiatives and public education to help bring about a
world free of nuclear arms.
- Office of
Civilian Radioactive Waste Management from
U.S. Department of Energy
- This government program is assigned to develop and
manage a federal system for disposing of spent nuclear
fuel from commercial nuclear reactors and high-level
radioactive waste from national defense activities.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Depleted Uranium Information from Defense
Technical Information Ctr., U.S. Dept. of
- Defense http://www.deploymentlink.osd.mil/du_library/
- 3) Nuclear Waste: No Way Out? by M. Llanos from
- 4) Nuclear Waste Transportation Routes http://www.state.nv.us/nucwaste/states/us.htm
- 5) Storing Nuclear Waste from Learners Online
- 6) USDOE Addresses Environmental Legacy of Nuclear
Weapons Production by J.L. Roeder
- 7) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) from U.S.
Department of Energy
- This site focuses on plutonium proliferation in
Europe, Japan, and the USA . . includes maps of
facilities by country, graphs on electricity generation
by fuel source, back issues of their newsletter, current
news articles, and more.
Lies, and Atomic Spies from PBS NOVA
- This program chronicles the lives and covert
activities of the so-called "atom spies" in the 1940's,
including the big one that got away, Theodore Alvin
- Related Websites:
- 2) Bombshell Atomic Espionage Website http://www.bombshell-1.com/index.html
- 3) Historians, Physicists Mobilize to Refute Spy
Stories from American Institute of Physics
Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer
Space and Under Water (1963)
- Read this landmark 1963 agreement between the United
States and the Soviet Union that prohibited nuclear
testing in outer space and under water.
Information Centre (Melbourne, Australia)
- This site focuses on information about nuclear energy
for electricity and the uranium for it.
Nuclear Tourist by J. Gonyeau
- This website provides basic information about the
different types of nuclear power plants and their
principle of operation.
You Need to Know About Radiation by L.S.
- This is a good overview of radiation and what you
should know to protect yourself, your family, and make
reasonable social and political choices.
- Related Sections:
- 2) Radiation and Life http://www.uic.com.au/ral.htm
- 3) Radiation Information Network http://www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/
- 4) Radiation Related Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Websites:
- 5) Little Lesson on Radioactivity http://www.no-nukes.org/prairieisland/lesson.html
- 6) Radiation Leak from Learners Online
- 7) Radioactivity is 100 Years Old http://wwwlapp.in2p3.fr/neutrinos/centenaire/rada.html
- This is the website of the global industrial
organization that seeks to promote the peaceful worldwide
use of nuclear power as a sustainable energy resource for
the coming centuries.
- Not-To-Be-Missed Sections:
- 2) Articles and Opinions http://www.world-nuclear.org/opinion/opinion.htm
- 3) Information and Issue Briefs http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/info.htm
- 4) Introduction to Nuclear Energy http://www.world-nuclear.org/education/education.htm
- The website is neither meant to condemn nor condone
the bombing, but is meant as a way for people to express
their views on how to achieve peace, on what peace is,
and other thoughts about peace.
Science Museum (Los Alamos, NM) operated by
Univ. of California for National Nuclear
Security Administration of the US Department of
- The museum's primary mission is to interpret
Laboratory research, activities, and history.
Atomic Museum Virtual Tour (Albuquerque, NM)
- The goal of the museum is to provide a readily
accessible repository of educational materials and
information reflecting the Atomic Age, and to preserve,
interpret, and exhibit to the public memorabilia of this
- Websites For Teachers
a Historical Perspective of the Nuclear World
from Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Before students can make decisions regarding the
futures of nuclear things, they must be well versed in
what led to our present situation and confrontations.
During this semester course, students will develop a
historical perspective of how the world arrived at this
point in time regarding nuclear science.
- Other Curriculum Materials from LANL:
- 2) Future of a Nuclear World http://set.lanl.gov/programs/cif/Curriculum/Future/futrmain.htm
- 3) Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation vs.
Nonproliferation from Los Alamos National
- 4) Storage and Disposition of Radioactive Materials
from Chornobyl (Grades 9-12) from National
- Students will read and analyze several articles
describing consequences of the 1986 explosion and fire at
a nuclear power plant in Chornobyl, Ukraine. They will
then create a map showing which countries were affected
by this disaster and how they were affected.
Nuclear Waste: A Geographic Analysis (Grade 9-12)
from National Geographic
- Students will learn how to analyze the problems
surrounding nuclear waste and to make decisions
- The events surrounding the invention and use of two
atomic weapons by the United States on Japan during WWII
are among the most controversial and significant
developments in modern American history. For this reason,
the topic provides a superb lesson for exploring the role
of technology in society.
- This lesson (partial lesson at site) examines the
application of the fission process to nuclear reactors.
It focuses on light water reactors (LWRs), the type used
in the United States for electrical power
- This lesson has learners examine the reasons for and
against nuclear arms escalation, describe the climate of
fear surrounding nuclear confrontation, and examine the
emotions elicited by the thought of nuclear
- Related Lesson Plan:
- 2) Cold War and Beyond (Grades 9-12) by J. Lamb from
Step Closer to a Treaty (Grades 6-12) by A.
Zimbalist & L. Driggs from The New York
- This lesson plan is designed to allow students to
speak objectively about the nuclear disarmament issue and
to interpret sections of the Nuclear Nonproliferation
- Related Lesson Plans from The New York
- 2) Balance of (Nuclear) Power (Grades 6-12) by D.
Lerman & J. Khan
- 3) Defense Mechanisms (Grades 6-12) by A. Hambouz
& J. Khan
- 4) Explosive Knowledge (Grades 6-12) by A. Zimbalist
& L. Driggs
- 5) Nuclear Reactions (Grades 6-12) by M. Sale &
- 6) Surrounded by Radiation (Grades 6-12) by G.
Scurletis & A. Perelman
- 7) There Must Be Something in the Water (Grades 6-12)
by B. Holmes Scott
Protection: How Much Is Enough (Grades 10-12) by
R. Trei & F. Brown
- The objective of this laboratory exercise is to study
the effects of shielding on the amount of detectable
radioactivity from a gamma source.
- Related Lessons:
- 2) Radioactivity (Grades 6-8) by K. Dugger & L.A.
- 3) Surviving a Cosmic Invasion (Grades 6-8) by J.
Underway on Nuclear Power (Grades 9-12) from
- This lesson introduces students to the role of
nuclear submarines during the Cold War. Students will
explore the uses of nuclear submarines, the dangers faced
by their crews, and the legacy left to their generation
by the Cold War buildup.
Is A "Dirty" Bomb? (Grades 6-10) from PBS
- In this lesson, students determine what identifies a
bomb as a "dirty" bomb, identify threats and responses
specific to "dirty" bombs, examine government and medical
preparedness for dealing with "dirty" bombs, and survey
members of the community for their understanding.
Wrong With Nuclear Power, Anyway? (Grades 6-9) by
by M.C. Phelps-Borrowman
- For many years now, the production and use of nuclear
energy has been both praised and condemned as a source of
electrical power for our daily living. This lesson will
give students the opportunity to find out the reasons for
the conflict of opinions in our society.
nuclear generating station
Atomic Energy Commission
- Created by