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PIC |
| Chapter 1 |
| Chapter 2 |
| Chapter 3 |
| Chapter 4 |
| Chapter 5 |
| Chapter 6 |
| Chapter 7 |
| Chapter 8 |
| Chapter 9 |
| Chapter
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Choose a system and follow the links.
| Electromagnetic | Nuclear |
After viewing a link, close the browser window to return to this page.
A detailed lesson plan for a unit on Electromagnetic Radiation
A basic lesson in electromagnetic waves, the electromagnetic spectrum, and characteristics of electromagnetic waves. Includes a self-check quiz. Follow the links at the end of the article to find out more about visible light and X rays.
A complete lesson plan for learning more about EM radiation and its applications in astronomy. Includes activities for using several online simulations
This section of Physics 2000 includes background information on electromagnetic radiation as well as specific information on applications such as X rays and microwave ovens. Throughout the lesson are java applets that illustrate the concepts.
Frank Potter's site has a series of links sorted by topic and again by grade level of the intended audience. The section titled "Nuclear Structure" is relevant to this chapter.
Description of the Advanced Light Source facility at Berkeley Labs. It explains the research carried out there. There are links to more detailed information on electromagnetic radiation.
Describes electromagnetic radiation and has a link to a color graphic showing the electromagnetic spectrum
This Java applet shows the relations between electric field, magnetic field, and wave vector when an electromagnetic wave propagates through space. This depiction of an EM wave has an adjustable B (magnetic) component. You can click and drag the tip of the B-vector anywhere in the plane and see the effect on velocity.
A simpler animation showing the synchronization of the E and H components, but parameters cannot be changed.
This NASA website explains the electromagnetic spectrum and why some portions of it are blocked by the Earth's atmosphere. There are links to a self-quiz and also to lesson plans and other items.
This is a graphical summary of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Clicking on the different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum takes you to a page that describes the wave as well as gives examples and applications.
The scientific background on the electromagnetic spectrum is presented on this page. It supports the educational program Live from the Stratosphere (LFS) that describes using the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO) to observe infrared.
This site gives a short history of the contributions of various scientists to our understanding of light and the electromagnetic spectrum, including Isaac Newton, Thomas Young, Albert Einstein, Galileo Galileii, Olaf Romer, William Herschel, Johann Wilhelm Ritter, James Clark Maxwell, Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, M. G. Marconi, and Wilhelm Roentgen.
A calculator from the Hyperphysics site that will calculate wavelength or frequency as well as quantum energy
Includes links to sites discussing safety issues related to all types of radiation
This site describes infrared radiation and how astronomers use it to learn more about the universe.
Describes the discovery of infrared and Herschel's experiment
A lab procedure that duplicates Herschel's experiment
Discussion on the formation of rainbows
This site describes health effects of UV-B and factors that impact the amount of UV-B that reach the Earth's surface at any given location.
Select the link Search My Community and put in your zip code. You can find out the UV index for your community.
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is an area of interest to both the scientific community and the general public. This web site is designed to serve both communities. The pages were developed with advice from the World Meteorological Organization's Scientific Advisory Group on UV Radiation. Included are over 190 links to other web sites.
This is a very informative fact sheet on UV radiation and its health effects, prepared by Ohio State University.
Encyclopedia article that describes X rays and their discovery, production, and applications
A more in-depth article on X rays from Encarta
Very informative site on the history of radiology. It moves from the discovery of X rays through current applications of X rays for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. It also discusses careers in radiology.
View this entire tutorial to learn more about the electromagnetic spectrum and the specific regions within it.
This site provides a very basic but understandable explanation of the photoelectric effect, and the related Nobel-prize-winning work by Einstein.
This site provides an applet that simulates a rather advanced-level experiment for the determination of Planck's constant and the work function for a few different materials
This page from the Patterns in Nature site describes the photoelectric effect.
An interactive applet showing the spectral distribution of light due to "blackbody radiation." (Click and drag the thermometer bar up or down.)
The following URLs include tables of photoelectric work functions for selected metals.
http://www.carnicom.com/ionize.htm
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/tables/photoelec.html
A nice write-up for a photoelectric work function laboratory investigation. Requires a very sensitive ammeter
Strange stuff explained.
Many resources on the web in one location for your viewing pleasure!
Selection of an element on this periodic table will link you to a list and further information on all known isotopes of the element. Additional links at the bottom of the page will take you to a glossary of terms used, information on nuclear science, and applications of radioactive isotopes.
This Encarta article defines isotope and discusses how isotopes are isolated.
This article from Science News discusses the problems medical researchers have obtaining reliable supplies of various radioactive isotopes so that they can evaluate their potential for therapeutic and other uses.
A concise summary of important concepts of nuclear physics including a discussion of radioactivity of heavier elements and also the nuclear reactions of fusion and fission. Also examines some of the uses and dangers of radiation in our lives today.
This page from the Space Science and Spacecraft Applications course describes the strong nuclear force.
A lesson on nuclear fission and fusion. After reading the information in each section, you can look at example problems and answer self-test questions.
These notes begin with a review of the strong nuclear force and nuclear binding energy and then move to a discussion of radioactive decay including alpha, beta, and gamma decay.
The Particle Adventure is an award-winning site that allows you to explore the world of fundamental particles and forces and then to investigate the experimental evidence and techniques. Interesting trivia questions are scattered throughout the site.
This site presents three lessons discussing radioactivity, nuclear fission, and nuclear reactors. (Click the “Next” button to advance.)
This site presents three lessons explaining atomic theory, half life and radioactive decay. (Click the “Next” button to advance.)
This Java applet depicts radioactive decay of a sample. A collection of atoms is shown decaying while a counter keeps count of the total numbers. Also displayed is a graph of exponential decay. (A point is added to the decay graph each time the user clicks pause/resume.)
Another applet depicting the decay of a sample. It automatically graphs the remaining atoms as a function of time but doesn't show scaling (e.g., the number of half-lives) on the horizontal axis.
This Java applet depicts a nuclear chain reaction. You begin the reaction by releasing a neutron.
An interesting color-coded, interactive graph that investigates the distribution of elements by numbers of neutrons and protons. The half-life of each element is given.
This applet depicts in simulated time the radioactive decay of four different elements into their daughter products. Note that you should enter the time step (e.g., 500 years or 500,000,000 years!). This really gives one an appreciation for the extremely long decay rates of daughter products of some common radioactive elements.
How Veronica and Archie tell time in space…
These multimedia give a brief overview of relativity - they present the main ideas.