Level 8: Nuclear physics

Radiation and the atom · level 8 of 8 · rough age 17+ (a guide for parents; anyone can start anywhere)

Where does nuclear energy come from? This level follows it to its source: mass turning into energy. It weighs nuclei to find their binding energy, explains why both splitting and joining nuclei release energy, and puts the decay law to work as a clock: one that tells the age of a Mars rock, and another that tells how long it has lain at the surface.

Lesson	You will be able to
Mass and energy	Use \(E = mc^2\) to turn mass into energy
Binding energy	Work out a nucleus's binding energy from its mass
Fission and fusion	Explain from the binding energy curve why both release energy
The decay law	Use half-lives, decay constants and activity
Dating Mars rocks	Work out a rock's age from its potassium and argon
Exposure ages	Work out how long a rock has lain near the surface

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