Resumen de Radioactive World: An Outreach Activity for Nuclear Chemistry
Sierra C. Marker, Chilaluck C. Konkankit, Mark C. Walsh, Daniel R. Lorey II, Justin J. Wilson
Nuclear chemistry is a topic of great societal importance with applications in the realms of medicine, energy, and national security. Despite its significance, this area receives little attention in both K–12 and undergraduate education. This poor coverage arises in part from the lack of suitable educational resources to illustrate key concepts of nuclear chemistry. Here, we describe the development of two activities for the K–12 classroom, which are designed to assist instructors in communicating several conceptual aspects of nuclear chemistry. The first of these activities is an interactive game, called Isotope Rummy, which has been developed as a Lending Library kit through the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR). This game informs students on the composition of the nucleus and factors that determine nuclear stability with respect to radioactive decay. The second activity, called Radiative versus Radioactive Decay, is designed for instructor-led outreach workshops or demonstrations. This activity gives examples of spontaneous radioactive and stimulated photoluminescent decay. We have performed the activities separately and together in various high school classrooms and as a full workshop at a student conference. Feedback obtained from both teachers and students indicates that these activities are helpful for fostering an understanding of several key concepts in nuclear chemistry.
