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Radioactive Language Arts
Sharpen Your...
- Research Skills
- Note Taking Skills
- Persuasive Writing Skills
- Essay Writing Skills
- Critical Thinking Skills
To complete the following research assignment about radiation, you must download the file Chuck Radiation.doc. Just in case you are having problems downloading this file, I cut and pasted it on this page, but the pictures didn't copy, just the text. Please try to download this file because it is much prettier with the pictures. The criteria for this assignment is at the bottom of this article. Now don't cheat and look at the assignment criteria at the end of this article until you read the file. I know, it's hard to resist. You can do it. Wait for the good news at the end.
WHAT IS RADIATION?
Radiation is energy. It travels through space in the form of particles or waves. Radiation is energy such as heat, light, sound, microwaves used to cook food radio waves, X-rays for diagnostic medical purposes and radar.
Radiation can be in the form of high speed alpha particles and beta particles emitted by heavy metals such as uranium and radium, and neutrons produced at fission.
RADIATION IS EVERYWHERE
It is in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. This makes up the "background radiation" that we are all exposed to everyday. Background radiation, from space or even food, contributes to at least 3 mSv (unit of measurement) per year per person.Main sources of natural radiation are the following:
· Radioactive substances in the earth's crust
· Radioactive gas (radon) from the earth that is released naturally from traces of uranium in soil and rock
· Cosmic rays from outer space which bombard the earth
· Trace (very tiny) amounts of radioactivity in the body
RADIATION AND RADIOACTIVITY
Substances are said to be “radioactive” when they emit radiation, either naturally or as a man-made condition. In Canada, on average, approximately 85 percent of human exposure to radiation is from natural sources. These include radon gas from the earth's crust that is present in the air we breathe, terrestrial radiation from mineral soils, and cosmic radiation from space. Our bodies are also a source of radiation from potassium and carbon in the foods we eat. The remaining sources of radiation exposure are manmade. Fourteen percent comes from medical technologies including x-rays and gamma-rays. And one percent can be categorized as “other” – created by things like the nuclear generation of electricity.
WHAT CAUSES ATOMS TO BE RADIOACTIVE?
Atoms found in nature are either stable or unstable. An atom is stable if the forces among the particles that make up the nucleus are balanced. An atom is unstable (radioactive) if these forces are unbalanced--if the nucleus has an excess of internal energy. Unstable atoms are called radionuclides. The instability of a radionuclide's nucleus may result from an excess of either neutrons or protons. An unstable nucleus will continually vibrate and contort and, sooner or later, attempt to reach stability by some combination of means:
· ejecting neutrons, and protons
· converting one to the other with the ejection of a beta particle or positron
· the release of additional energy by photon (i.e., gamma ray) emission.
HOW LONG DO RADIONUCLIDES STAY ACTIVE?
It depends on the kind of radioactive material you're dealing with. The rate of decay is one of the characteristics of radionuclides. Scientists talk about this rate as a radionuclide's radioactive half-life, commonly referred to as just half-life. The half-life of an element is the amount of time it takes for half of the atoms to decay. The half-life of an isotope is always the same. Because decay happens the most when there are a lot of atoms, when there aren't as many atoms left, things slow down.
“NON-IONISING” RADIATION
Non-ionizing radiation does not have enough energy to cause atomic changes.
IONISING RADIATION
Energy released from radioactive atoms is 'ionising radiation'. This is because when a non-radioactive atom is hit by radiation, it gives up one electron, and is said to be 'ionised'. These electrically charged particles are called ions.
The forms of ionizing radiation are alpha particles, beta particles and neutrons, as well as x and gamma-rays. Ionising radiation is also released by nuclear fission
TYPES OF IONISING RADIATION: ALPHA, BETA AND GAMMA
Alpha particles are very heavy and lose their energy quickly. They are positively charged, and are also quite large, and therefore cannot travel very far, or pass through matter such as a piece of paper or human skin. However, care should be taken not to swallow or inhale anything likely to emit alpha particles, as they can cause damage to body organs.
Examples of some alpha emitters: radium, radon (radioactive gas), uranium, thorium.
Beta particles are small (and negatively charged). They are fast moving and can travel further than alpha particles. They can penetrate up to 1 - 2 centimetres of matter such as human skin.
Examples of some pure beta emitters: strontium-90, carbon-14, tritium, and sulfur-35.
Gamma rays and X radiation are high-energy waves, similar to light, but have much higher energy, and can travel very long distances. However, matter such as concrete, lead or metal, or even water can stop them in their tracks.
Examples of some gamma emitters: iodine-131, cesium-137, cobalt-60, radium-226, and technetium-99m.
Neutron radiation is also encountered in nuclear power plants and high-altitude flight and emitted from some industrial radioactive sources.
WHAT IS NUCLEAR FISSION?
Ionising radiation is released by nuclear fission. Fission is the process of splitting apart of a parent cell or atom. In nuclear fission, heavy atoms like uranium or plutonium are split apart by a single neutron to form lighter elements and release energy.
Uranium decays naturally but can be forced into nuclear fission by using a nuclear reactor. Inside the reactor several uranium atoms are split apart to generate lighter elements and heat.
Out of all of the uranium in world, only special uranium is used for nuclear fission, which is processed U-235. It is often used for nuclear fission because the nuclei of that isotope can break apart easily. If there is no U-235, the power plant operators use a special plutonium isotope instead
HOW DOES NUCLEAR FISSION HAPPEN IN A NUCLEAR REACTOR?
The U-235 is first processed before it can be used in nuclear fission. Once the special U-235 is loaded into the reactor, nuclear fission begins when a neutron is fired into a U-235 nucleus. Nuclear fission releases energy.
The splitting of an atom into two smaller atoms, creates heat and sends neutrons flying. If another atom absorbs one of those neutrons, the atom becomes unstable and undergoes fission itself, releasing more heat and more neutrons. The chain reaction becomes self-sustaining,
producing a steady supply of heat to boil water, drive steam turbines and thereby generate electricity.
The temperature of the nuclear reaction is controlled by a series of control rods. These rods can also be used to stop the reaction completely in case of a U-235 reload, an accident, or a malfunction.
NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SAFETYThere are a number of safety precautions in place. Numerous drills like the fire drills we have at school are performed to practice the emergency plan. The control rods can be placed fully into the reactor to stop the reaction completely if the operators suspect that there is something wrong. The concrete walls are three to six feet thick to prevent any radiation from escaping. There are armed personnel to protect the plant from sabotage. Nuclear waste is either stored in pits resembling swimming pools or specially designed steel cases. Nuclear waste is either stored in the plant itself or in nuclear waste disposal facilities.
In Japan, the March 11th earthquake and tsunami caused blackouts that cut off the externally sourced AC power for the reactors' cooling system. According to published reports, backup diesel generators at the power plant failed shortly thereafter, leaving the reactors uncooled and in serious danger of overheating. Even after the control rods have done their job and stopped the fission reaction the fuel rods retain a great deal of heat. What is more, the uranium atoms that have already split in two produce radioactive by-products that themselves give off a great deal of heat. So the reactor core continues to produce heat in the absence of fissioning. Without a steady coolant supply, a hot reactor core will continuously boil off the water surrounding it until the fuel is no longer immersed. If fuel rods remain uncovered, they may begin to melt, and hot, radioactive fuel can pool at the bottom of the vessel containing the reactor. In a worst-case meltdown scenario the puddle of hot fuel could melt through the steel containment vessel and through subsequent barriers meant to contain the nuclear material, exposing massive quantities of radioactivity to the outside world.
EFFECTS OF RADIATION ON OUR BODY CELLS
Biological effect begins with the ionization of atoms. The mechanism by which radiation causes damage to human tissue, or any other material, is by ionization of atoms in the cell material.
Ionizing radiation absorbed by human tissue has enough energy to remove electrons from the atoms that make up molecules of the tissue.
When the electron that was shared by the two atoms to form a molecular bond is dislodged by ionizing radiation, the bond is broken and thus, the molecule falls apart. This is a basic model for understanding radiation damage.
When ionizing radiation interacts with cells, it may or may not strike a critical part of the cell. We consider the chromosomes to be the most critical part of the cell since they contain the genetic information and instructions required for the cell to perform its function and to make copies of itself for reproduction purposes.
The following are possible effects of radiation on cells:
Cells are undamaged by the dose
Ionization may form chemically active substances which in some cases alter the structure of the cells. These alterations may be the same as those changes that occur naturally in the cell and may have no negative effect.
Cells are damaged, repair the damage and operate normally
Some ionizing events produce substances not normally found in the cell. These can lead to a breakdown of the cell structure and its parts. Cells can repair the damage if it is limited. Even damage to the chromosomes is usually repaired. Many thousands of chromosome changes occur constantly in our bodies. Our body can repair these changes.
Cells are damaged, repair the damage and operate abnormally
If a damaged cell needs to perform a function before it has had time to repair itself, it will either be unable to perform the repair function or perform the function incorrectly or incompletely. The result may be cells that cannot perform their normal functions or that now are damaging to other cells. These altered cells may be unable to reproduce themselves or may reproduce at an uncontrolled rate. Such cells can be the underlying causes of cancers.
Cells die as a result of the damage
If a cell is really damaged by radiation, or damaged in such a way that reproduction is affected, the cell may die. Radiation damage to cells may depend on how sensitive the cells are to radiation.
All cells are not equally sensitive to radiation damage. In general, cells which divide rapidly and/or are relatively non-specialized tend to show effects at lower doses of radiation then those which are less rapidly dividing and more specialized. Examples of the more sensitive cells are those which produce blood. This system (called the hemopoietic system) is the most sensitive biological indicator of radiation exposure.
A chronic dose is a relatively small amount of radiation received over a long period of time. The body is better equipped to tolerate a chronic dose than an acute dose. The body has time to repair damage because a smaller percentage of the cells need repair at any given time. The body also has time to replace dead or non-functioning cells with new, healthy cells. This is the type of dose received as occupational exposure.
The biological effects of high levels of radiation exposure are fairly well known. These effects include some forms of cancer and genetic effects.
Electricity from Nuclear Fuel
Nuclear technology uses the energy released by splitting the atoms of certain elements. It was first developed in the 1940s, and during the Second World War research focused on producing bombs by splitting the atoms of either uranium or plutonium.
There are now over 440 commercial nuclear power reactors operating in 30 countries around the world.
They provide about 14% of the world's electricity and their efficiency is increasing. Fifty-six countries operate a total of about 250 research reactors and a further 180 nuclear reactors power some 140 ships and submarines.
Uh...huh...you peaked!!!
WHAT DO YOU THINK? O.K., here it is...what you've been waiting for........ta, da....your writing assignment.
What are the advantages and drawbacks to using nuclear fuel to generate electricity? Should countries continue to construct nuclear reactors? Why or why not?
Write a 250- 500 word essay explaining your position. This essay must be double space and word processed. Your essay must include:
- An introductory paragraph
- Write about two advantages and two drawbacks
- Five points to support your opinion whether countries should or should not continue to generate electricity using nuclear reactors You must back up your points with evidence from reputable sources.
- A concluding paragraph
- Attach a bibliography containing a minimum of four sources. (remember the VPL website)
Social Studies
Topic: Geographic Conditions Shaped Emerging Civilization
Answer one of the following:
- How did the geographic conditions along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers shape the development of the Ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Babylon, around 3100 BCE to 540 BCE?
- How did the geographic conditions along the Nile River shape the development of the Ancient Egyptian civilization, 3100 BCE to 332 BCE?
- How did the geographic conditions in the Indus-Ganges (Indus Valley) shape the development of civilization around 3300 BCE to 1600 BCE?
- How did geographic conditions in the Huang He/Yellow River ( Xia and Shang, shape the development of civilization around 2100 BCE to 1046 BCE)
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Language Arts Novel Review
Assignment Criteria and Example Essay
Paragraph One: Engage the reader with an interesting topic sentence that describes one of the following:
- Visual imagery embodied in a stylistic element
- Exciting or incredible event (which can be the main problem in the novel)
- Interesting character behaviour
- Historical significance (setting and time period)
- Do not start your paragraph with the topic sentence…If you love romance, mystery, suspense…then you’ll love…”Until Death Do Us Part,” by Thurston Howle
Also include:
- Title of book
- Name of author and illustrator in the introduction
Main Body of Essay: (5 or 6 word processed paragraphs)
Paragraph Two/Three is a Brief Summary of the Main Problem: The solution to the problem can be in the second paragraph if the problem is introduced in the first paragraph, otherwise write about the main problem/conflict in the novel and the solution.
Paragraph Three Describes the Setting(s). You must Include "one or two quotes" from the novel that describes the main setting(s).
Paragraph Four describes Character development and Main Character’s Importance to Story: Include "one or two quotes" from the novel that best describes the main character and his/her importance to the story.
Paragraph Five describes the Author’s style: point of view, sequence of events, time frame, use of stylistic elements e.g. similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, alliteration, onomatopoeia. Include one or two quotes for your favourite stylistic element(s).
Paragraph Six is a Strong Conclusion that wraps up the key points:
- Write about one important theme or message in the novel e.g. we learn more when we leave our comfort zone and take chances in life. Include "one or two quotes" from the novel that supports the message or theme.
- Include your opinion of the book. Did you like it? Why or why not? Would you recommend it?
- Do not conclude with…This book will keep you awake all night…a good read…page turner…keep you on the edge of your seat…etc.
Please Note: Avoid clichés
Do not borrow phrases from the back of the book cover
Extend your knowledge: (optional)
What is the symbolism in the story?
What is the tone of the story?
Please note that all novel reviews must be word processed, double spaced, using 12 point font, on 8.5”x11” paper. (approximately. 250- 300 words) Please indent for each new paragraph.
When you describe things that are happening in a story you must write in the present tense.
Example Essay
All that Glitters is not Gold (give your essay a catchy title)
Paragraph One
Imagine the feeling of hopelessness and despair, knowing that you are lost and injured in the rugged mountain wilderness of British Columbia; you are all alone, and hungry. In “Over the Edge of Quilchena Mountain,” by Eileen Over, the main character, Thurston Howle, gets lost during a snowstorm while walking in the Quilchena Mountains. He is on his way to visit his friend when he becomes disorientated and wanders off the trail.
Paragraph two and three summarize the story and describes the main problem(s)/conflict and outcome
After countless hours, he stumbles upon an old and weathered cabin deep in the heart of the woods. He goes inside hoping to find food and warm up as he develops a plan to find his way back home, or wait out the snowstorm and continue to his friend's house. While searching for food, he discovers an old photo album, a newspaper clipping dated 1889, and a trail map lodged underneath a loose floorboard. To Thurston's utter astonishment, there is a picture of his great great grandfather in the album. He has a big toothless smile. In one hand, he holds a huge gold nugget. The trail map marks the location of an abandoned gold mine
The newspaper article describes that the prospecting rights to the mine were stolen by his great grandfather in 1888. If he reveals the location of the mine, he risks disclosing a terrible family secret. If he doesn't tell anyone and finds the abandoned mine, he'll be rich. The temptation is too great. He decides to take the risk and look for the old abandoned mine. Unfortunately, he gets lost again and falls upside down into a tree well. He is rescued by a hunter that hears his cries from afar.
Paragraph four describes the main character and his/her importance to story:
The author does an excellent job developing the main character, Thurston. In the first chapter, Thurston is described as “tall, lanky, with sandy blond hair, and a pleasant face, eager for adventure.” He also has a devious streak and most likely takes after his great great grandfather, "nobody will know that I have found this map, and as far as I'm concerned, it belongs to me now," Thurston seems oblivious to the potential danger of wandering in the forest during a snowstorm. He is over confident and careless.
As the story progresses, he starts to realize that he is not invincible, and that nature is a powerful force, "I walked towards the white wall of snow blowing in front of me and lost all sense of time, place and direction." Was a hunk of shiny gold ore more important than my life?"
Paragraph five describes the setting
The author also does a great job describing the setting in the Quilchena Mountains. Two similes illustrate her style: “snow was falling like a million tiny crystals from the sky,” and “the ominous clouds rolled across the sky like mischievous children rolling down a hill in springtime.” Her use of alliteration, "surrounded by swirling, shifting, snow as my boots sink soundlessly beneath the surface," is stupendous!
Paragraph six wraps up the key points and makes a real life personal connection for the reader to contemplate.
The author’s two main messages are that nature is a powerful force that must be respected, and family is more important than money. When Thurston falls into the snow well, the memory of his mother gives him the strength to stay awake, “ If my mother were here right now, she’d tuck me in with a thick blanket of new-fallen snow and sing to me softly. I thought I could hear her voice whisper through the tree branches.” Next time you wander in the wilderness, or find yourself skiing down a black run at Whistler, keep in mind the powerful force that nature can unleash, and respect the mountain. Don't be overconfident like Thurston, because it might cost you your life.