Nuclear power: Good vs bad

The PROCESS: Follow the steps below to complete the webquest. This is a group assignment, each of you must contribute equally. Feel free to assist each other and ask your teacher if any problems arise.

Step 1:   Choose a topic.  You can either select a topic or be assigned a topic to research for your group.

Step 2:   Research (Use websites  and questions listed on this page)

Step 3:   Discuss your information with your group; come up with a recommendation.

Step 4:   Organize your information into a Report. (Requirments listed on Task page)

Step 5:   Plan your Presentation. (Requirements listed on Task page)

There is a vast amount of information about nuclear power on the web. An organized list of some websites are listed below. Feel free to search the web for alternative websites, but only do so after you have viewed the websites below.

The TOPICS

Topic 1:  Nuclear radiation
Go to:   http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear.htm
1.  What are the nine naturally radioactive elements?
2.  What is meant by the half-life of a radioactive substance?
3.  What is spontaneous fission?
4.  Name two important applications of neutron radiation.
5.  What is ionizing radiation?

Go to:   http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf05.html 
1.  What are the types of radiation?
2.  How radioactive is a person?
3.  Where does most radiation come from and what are some of the sources?
4.  What is natural background radiation?
5.  What are 4 ways people are protected from radiation?


Topic 2:  Nuclear power
Go to: http://library.thinkquest.org/17940/texts/fission/fission.html
1. What is a fissile isotope and why is it important to fission?
2. what element/isotope is used in nuclear power plants?
3. What is a chain reaction?

Go to:   http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm
1.  What is induced fission?
2.  Discuss the release of energy by fission.
3.  How does a nuclear power plant work?
4.  What is meant by uranium enrichment?
5.  Explain the role of control rods in a fission reaction.
6.  What is critical mass?
7.  What precautions are taken on the outside of a nuclear power plant?

Go to:  http://fusioned.gat.com/what_is_fusion.html
1.  What is fusion?
2.  What is necessary in order to make fusion happen?
3.  Why is fusion preferred over fission? 


Topic  3:  Repercussions and disasters
Go to:  http://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power5.htm
1.  What was the prime-worst nuclear disaster?
2.  What happen at Chernobyl?
3.  What happen in Japan in March 2011?
4.  Why didn't the safety measures stop radioactivity at the plant?

Go to:  http://library.thinkquest.org/3471/radiation_effects_body.html
Scroll down to section:  Major Radiation Exposurein Real Life Events
1.  What did doctors see for the first time at Hiroshima?Nagasaki?
2.  What did people at Hiroshima/Nagasaki die from a week after the explosion?
3.  What physical ailments did the survivors suffer through?
4.  What happen at Three Mile island?
5.  What was the major result of the accident there?
6.  How much nuclear fuel and graphite were ejected at Chernobyl?
7.   How large was the radioactive release at Chernobyl?

Go to: http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm
1. What are the pros of nuclear power plant?
2. What are the cons of nuclear power plant?

Topic 4:  Radiation and its effects
Go to:  http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Life/cell_radiation_damage.html
1.  what does radiation do to a cell?
2.  What are the 2 major ways radiation damages DNA?
3.  What are the symptoms of radiation sickness?

click on the related link:  Can living cells repair damage of radiation?
1.  List the 3 types of damage and the possibility of repair.

Go to: http://www.atomicarchive.com/Effects/effects15.shtml
1.  List at least 7 things that radiation can do to the human body?

Go to:  http://www.atomicarchive.com/Effects/effects16.shtml
1.  What are the 3 long term effects on the human body?

Go to: http://library.thinkquest.org/3471/radiation_effects_body_body.html
1.  What are the units of radiation dosage commonly used?
2.  What are some signs of radiation exposure?
3.  What is considered a lethal dose of radiation?

Go to: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/prenatal.asp
1.  What are 2 ways a fetus can be exposed to radiation?
2.  What does the possibility of seroius health effect depend on?
3.  When is the fetus most sensitive to radiaiton?
4.  What are some of the health issues facing a baby?

OTHER SOURCES:
http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/4402/  

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nucene/fusion.html

http://science.howstuffworks.com/fusion-reactor.htm

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nucene/fission.html