Radioactivity

Lecture 2 Syllabus and Logistics of Class

Syllabus

• Class Requirements and Schedule: • To cover the broad range of material the course will be offered in four topical sections that address the

science and scientific effects of radioactivity, as well as the environmental consequences and the societal impact of its growing number of applications

• The class will be offered twice a week so that each of these topics can be discussed in one 90 minute class session. The grade will be determined by participation in discussion, by quizzes on the class material, by homework results and by the results of the mid-term and final exam. Prerequisites are high-school physics and high-school algebra. To allow room and time for discussion the number of participants is limited to 24 students!!!

• There is no textbook available at this level. Lecture notes will be prepared and will be posted for each class topic. A list of supplementary reading material will be provided

• Class Grades: • Weekly quizzes 20%; Homework 20%; Midterm Exam 20%; final exam 20%; participation 20% • Attendance is expected! • Honor Code: • “This class follows the binding Code of Honor at Notre Dame. The graded work you do in this class must

be your own. In the case where you collaborate with other students make sure to fairly attribute their contribution to your project.”

Prerequisites: High school physics High school algebra

Who knows what about radioactivity? • How many know about the atomic nucleus? • How many know about dangers of radioactivity? • How many know the different kinds of radiation? • How many know how nuclear decay works? • How many know nuclear decay laws? • How many know the physics of nuclear decay? • How many know about its biological impact? • How many know about the origins of radioactivity? • How many know about its industrial applications?

Topics to be discussed 1. The phenomenon of radioactivity 1.1. The discovery of radioactivity 1.2. The nature and detection of radioactivity 1.3. The physics of radioactive decay 1.4. Natural and induced radioactivity 1.5. Dosimetry and exposure limits 1.6. The biological impact of radioactivity 2. The origin of radioactivity 2.1. The origin of the elements 2.2. The radioactive universe 2.3. The radioactive earth 2.4. Geological implications and consequences 2.5. The human radioactivity cycle 2.6. The origin and evolution of life

3. The environmental impact of radioactivity 3.1. Atmospheric Radioactivity 3.2. Radioactivity in agriculture 3.3. Radioactivity in building materials 3.4. Radioactivity and natural resources 3.5. Radioactivity and renewable energy 3.6. Radioactivity and nuclear energy 4. Societal impact of radioactivity 4.1. Radioactivity in the industrial production process 4.2. Radioactivity in the art market 4.3. Radioactivity and medical applications 4.4. Radioactivity and homeland security 4.5. Radioactivity in war 4.6. Radioactivity and fear

Are there any other questions and/or topics you want to see covered?

People to be asked

Michael Wiescher NSH 181

Wiescher.1@nd.edu

Micha Kilburn NSH 180D

mkilburn@nd.edu

John Wilkinson NSH 284

jwilkin5@nd.edu

Books to be read

Website to be consulted

isnap.nd.edu/courses/radioactivity-and-its-implications-for-environment-and-society/

All lectures, homework sets, and other course notes will be placed here!

Class List

46 students

First Name Last Name College Major/Minor Class Gabrielle Biltz FY NONE 1 Tim Brauer FY PHIL 1 Robert Brutvan FY POLS 1 Isabel Callahan FY NONE 1 Connie Chen FY NONE 1 Tianlang Chen BA FIN 4 Christopher Chimento FY NONE 1 Dominic Dalla Valle FY NONE 1 Ryan Dolinar AR ARCH 5 Therese Douglass FY ENGL 1 William DuFour BA FIN / MENS 4 John Feger AL NSBH / MENS 4 Claire Gallagher FY POLS 1 Nicholas Godfrey FY ECON 1 Jared Hendrick BA FIN / MENS 3 Claire Hickey FY NONE 1 Robert Kee AL PLS / MBEC 2 Diana Kelly FY NONE 1 Gavin King FY ENGL 1 John Lawrence FY NONE 1 Haejin Lee BA NONE 2 Katherine Lewis FY NONE 1 Michael Marotta FY POLS 1 Ian Marx FY POLS 1 Elinor McCarthy FY ENGL 1 Conor McDonough FY NONE 1 Ryan Merrigan FY NONE 1 Maeve Miller FY NONE 1 Emily Mills FY NONE 1 Madeleine Moroun AL PLS 2 Evan Muller FY IEAR 1 Ryan Mullin FY NONE 1 Carson Myers FY NONE 1 Ivan Negro Rocha FY NONE 1 Logan Noe FY ENGL 1 Simon Roennecke FY PSY 1 David Sanchez FY NONE 1 Paul Sardinha Marques FY NONE 1 Matthew Seida FY NONE 1 Timothy Sienko AL ECON / MCDT 2 Timothy Silva FY POLS 1 David Torgerson FY NONE 1 Nicholas Weindel FY NONE 1 Ezekiel Wigutow FY POLS 1 Zachary Yeadon FY NONE 1 Jingjing Yu FY POLS 1 Emma Ziegler FY POLS 1

• Natural Radioactivity 1. The origin of the radioactive elements 2. The Hadean period 3. The phenomenon of cosmic radiation 4. Cosmogenic and radiogenic activity 5. Cosmic Rays and climate 6. Solar neutrinos 7. Geo neutrinos 8. Radiogenic heat and mantle convection 9. Radioactivity in oceans and volcanoes

• Biology and Radioactivity 1. The human radioactivity cycle 2. Radioactivity and mutation 3. Radiation and cancer 4. Bystander effects 5. Radioactivity and hormesis 6. History and reason for LNT threshold 7. Dose and death

Natural Radioactivity Projects to be considered

Anthropogenic Radioactivity Projects to be considered • Enriched Radioactivity

1. Mining and Burning of fossil fuel 2. Uranium mining 3. Geothermal heat 4. The production of solar panels 5. Building materials 6. Radioactivity at Notre Dame? 7. Soil and plant up-take of radioactivity 8. Fertilizers and agriculture

• Anthropogenic Radioactivity 1. The physics of fusion and fission 2. Nuclear fall-out from bomb and reactor 3. The nuclear test program 4. Should there be a new test program? 5. Reactor neutrinos 6. Radioactivity in diagnostics and treatment 7. Radioisotopes for (wo)mankind 8. Radioactivity, industry, and industrial methods

Class schedule (before break)

8/22/2017 Tuesday Introduction, Overview, Summary 8/24/2017 Thursday Organisation, Class Plan, Syllabus 8/29/2017 Tuesday The Discovery of Radioactivity, Science and Applications 8/31/2017 Thursday The Physics of radioactive Decay 9/5/2017 Tuesday The Nature and Laws of Radioactivity 9/7/2017 Thursday Detectors and Instrumentation

9/12/2017 Tuesday Dosimetry and Exposure Limits 9/14/2017 Thursday Biological Impact of Radioactivity 9/19/2017 Tuesday The Origin of radioactive Elements 9/21/2017 Thursday The Radioactive Universe 9/26/2017 Tuesday Radioactive Earth 9/28/2017 Thursday Geological Implications and Consequences 10/3/2017 Tuesday The Human Radioactivity Cycle 10/5/2017 Thursday The Origin and Evolution of Life

10/10/2017 Tuesday Atmospheric Radioactivity 10/12/2017 Thursday Mid-Term Exam 10/17/2017 Tuesday

Fall Break 10/19/2017 Thursday

China

Class Schedule (after break)

10/17/2017 Tuesday Fall Break

10/19/2017 Thursday

10/24/2017 Tuesday Radioactivity in Building Materials

10/26/2017 Thursday Radioactivity in Agriculture

10/31/2017 Tuesday Radioactivity in Natural Resources

11/2/2017 Thursday Radioactivity and Renewable Energy

11/7/2017 Tuesday Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy 11/9/2017 Thursday Issues of long-term Storage

11/14/2017 Tuesday Radioactivity in Industry 11/16/2017 Thursday Radioactivity in Medicine 11/21/2017 Tuesday Radioactivity in the Art Market 11/23/2017 Thursday Thanksgiving Break 11/28/2017 Tuesday Radioactivity and Homeland Security 11/30/2017 Thursday Radioactivity and War 12/5/2017 Tuesday Radioactivity and Fear

Texas

New Mexico

Exams and Grades

• Weekly quizzes 20%; • Homework 20%; • Midterm Exam 20%; • final exam or essay 20%; • participation 20%

Question and Answers