Sunlight (solar radiation) provides many beneficial contributions to mankind, including warmth and energy, vision and photoresponses, photosynthesis, and vitamin D synthesis. Along with these positive benefits attributed to solar radiation, there are also adverse effects. A particular adverse effect of current interest and concern which is…

Uses the protactinium (Pa-234m) generator to illustrate the production of isotopes of short half-life for medical analysis. The principle of nuclide generators and suggested experiments (with procedures and typical results) are discussed. (JN)

For many summers the Radiation Science and Engineering Center at Pennsylvania State University has been the site of a Nuclear Concepts and Technological Issues Institute for secondary school science teachers. As a culminating activity of the institute teachers develop lesson plans, laboratory experiments, demonstrations, or other activities and…

Stefan's law is demonstrated by measuring the temperature of the tungsten filament of an electric light bulb and plotting a log-log graph of temperature against power dissipation. (MLH)

Describes an experiment for determining the blackbody radiation constant hc/k, utilize a conventionally built cavity and a single-beam, single-window Perkin-Elmer 12-C model spectrometer. (SL)

Describes a technique for extracting a radioactive source from the atmosphere using a balloon, as a strategy to generate students' enthusiasm for and understanding of radioactivity experiments. (JRH)

Outlines the highlights of experiments that allow students to trace the historical development of our understandings of cosmic rays. The experiments provide for two outdoor fieldwork experiences, indoor laboratory work, and an opportunity for a group of students to show originality and initiative. (ZWH)

Describes an experiment illustrating the absorption in the ultraviolet region to provide a simple spectrometric analytical method. (SL)

Describes an experiment wherein simple gamma-ray detection and analysis techniques were utilized to study radioactivity in local precipitation. (Author/SL)

Presents basic theory of silicon solar cells and discusses their use in experiments in undergraduate teaching laboratories. (SL)

Describes a laboratory activity which can be done with equipment normally available for introductory college courses. It measures the ratio of the radioactivity per unit mass of a unicellular alga to the radioactivity per unit mass of the medium in which it grows. (HM)

Describes three experiments (also useful as demonstrations) using a "thorium cow," a device which concentrates the daughter products from thorium compounds by precipitation on a charged electrode. (JN)

Describes an electroplating experiment which utilizes photovoltaic (solar) cells to drive the chemical reaction. (SL)

Cites reasons why Penicillium claviforme is an exceptionally good species for ultraviolet induced mutation experiments. Provides a set of laboratory instructions for teachers and students. Includes a discussion section. (ML)

Procedures used by a primary science class to build five different working solar furnaces are summarized. Diagrams, illustrations, and graphs of children's results are included. (DC)