Understanding Radiation and Radioactivity: A Physics 101 Tutorial

Description

Do you need a quick tutorial on radiation and radioactivity? Understanding Radiation and Radioactivity: A Physics 101 Tutorial clearly explains the concepts underlying radioactivity and radiation. Written by a professor with a PhD in astrophysics and over 30 years experience teaching physics and astronomy, this tutorial will be useful for anyone who needs to know more about radiation. This tutorial is written for students from middle school through college who need help understanding the basic concepts of radiation, but it will also be useful for science teachers, other teachers, or home schoolers who need a quick refresher on the concepts of radiation. Anyone who wants to intelligently understand the risks posed by radiation and radioactivity will find this tutorial useful.This tutorial starts with an overview of the three major types of radiation: alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. A brief summary of how physicists measure radiation doses and the health effects of different radiation doses follows. An explanation of the concept of half life will help the reader understand how long radioactive isotopes last in the environment and how radioactive dating works. The tutorial ends with a brief discussion of radioactive isotopes present in the environment. The clearly written explanations are conceptual and stress understanding concepts rather than memorizing words or manipulating equations.This physics tutorial covers all the concepts needed for a basic understanding of radiation and radioactivity, yet it is brief enough to read in half an hour. You will then be able to apply your understanding to study for your exam, to evaluate radiation hazards, or to meet whatever other need you have.Paul A. Heckert, the author of Understanding Radiation and Radioactivity: A Physics 101 Tutorial, earned a PhD in physics with a specialization in astronomy from the University of New Mexico in 1983. He is a professor of physics and astronomy at Western Carolina University and has been teaching college level physics and astronomy for over 30 years. As an active research astronomer, Heckert has published over 60 research articles in respected peer reviewed astronomy journals. This combination of teaching and research experience provides the expertise and skill to clearly and accurately explain difficult scientific concepts.