This document presents a course in the science of nuclear energy, units of which may be included in high school physics, chemistry, and biology classes. It is intended for the use of teachers whose students have already completed algebra and chemistry or physics. Included in this paper are the objectives of this course, a course outline, a…

Heavily ionizing charged particles produce radiation damage tracks in a wide variety of insulating materials. The experimental properties of these tracks and track recorders are described. The mechanisms by which the tracks are produced are discussed. (Author/KR)

Presents applications in (1) radiochemistry by using experimental data from earthquakes, and (2) Boyle's Law by the opening of beer cans. (CS)

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…

Describes an experiment in which a 500-A-thick silver film is evaporated on the hypotenuse face of a right glass prism. The surface plasmon mode in the film is excited with a He-Ne laser. The dispersion relation for the surface plasmon and the reflectivity due to the excitation of this mode are calculated. (Author/MLH)

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 exercises for students to estimate the magnitude of energy available through solar power, wind, atmospheric electricity, heat capacity of air, and latent heat of air. (SL)

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)

Describes a technique in which blackbody radiation emitted or absorbed by a single microwave cavity mode is detected and displayed on an oscilloscope. (Author/CP)

Photographs of snow covered buildings are used to illustrate thermal radiation from various types of structures and the effect of insulation on heat loss. (CP)