On the forums....
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justin on , May 15, 2012, 11:10 am
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Matt on , May 15, 2012, 10:10 am
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VCE Physics on , May 15, 2012, 10:06 am
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Podcasts – subscribe in iTunes
Podcasts can be found at http://vcephysics.podomatic.com/.
Posted in Podcast video
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Welcome to 2012
Just a quick message from VCE Physics.com. VCEPhysics.com is an essential resource for all VCE Physics students, so please make sure that you keep in touch to find out what new materials are being added throughout the year.
New for 2012 is the forum. Students can use the forum to discuss the podcasts & ask any questions that they might have about the concepts covered.
For the teachers, we’d love to have you come on board as a moderator too.
The Unit 1 & 2 podcasts will be progressively added throughout the year.
It’s going to be a big year as we grow – hopefully you’ll stay tuned. Don’t forget to make sure that everyone in your class registers and subscribes to the podcast in iTunes.
Justin
VCEPhysics.com
Posted in Notices
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Al’s Relativistic Adventures
As part of the World Year of Physics 2005, the Pirelli Internetional Award launched the Pirelli Relativity Challenge. An award for the best multimedia work that explains special relativity theory to the layperson.
The prize was given to Kiran Sachdev, who has a degree in Physics and Mathematics at McGill university in Montreal, and to Bogdan Luca, freelance animator, who has a diploma in Classical Animation from Sheridan College.
Al’s Relativistic Adventures (Requires Flash).
Posted in Relativity, Unit 3
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Nerdling magazine – Nuclear issue
Nerdling was an online Science issues magazine produced in the early 2000s. I’m not too sure of it’s origins or the authors, but it certainly is a fantastic compilation of nuclear facts.
Posted in Radioactivity, Unit 1
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Radioactivity – doses and effects podcast
Posted in Podcast video, Radioactivity, Unit 1
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Radioactive decay rates
Radioisotopes all have a characteristic half-live, that measures the time taken to decay. This podcast looks at the calculations involving half-lives.
Download the notes.
Links:
Posted in Podcast video, Radioactivity, Unit 1
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Radioactivity introduction podcast
An introduction to the different types of radiation - alpha, beta and gamma.
Download the notes.
Posted in Podcast video, Radioactivity, Unit 1
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Radioactive decay & half-lives
The eventual decay of any particular radioactive atom is random – we can not know when it will decay. The half life of an isotope is the time that it takes for half of the atoms to decay.
For example uranium-235 has a half live of around 700,000 years. This means that there is a 50/50 chance that a particular atom will decay in the next 700,000 years. Half of the uranium-235 atoms would be expected to decay in that time.
Every radioisotope has a unique half-life. Some are as short as a nanosecond, some are measured in billions of years. After each half-life has passed, the amount of the radioisotope present has halved.
Radioactive decay is measured using the Becquerel. One Bq = One decay / second.
The rate of decay is dependent on the amount of the radioisotope: more atoms means more chance of decays occurring. Isotopes with shorter half life will decay more quickly – at a higher rate of decay. Long lived isotopes will release smaller amounts of radiation over a longer time period.
Use this interactive to determine the half-life of the isotopes & to find a mathematical relationship to model the decay over time.
http://www.flashscience.com/chemistry/radioactive_decay.htm
Posted in Radioactivity, Unit 1
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Power cost calculator
Calculate the cost and amount of CO2 produced to run electrcial devices.
http://www.flashscience.com/electricity/power_costs.htm
Posted in Electricity, Unit 1
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A is for atom
A classic 1950s educational film, funded by the General Electric company to help promote nuclear power.
Posted in Energy from the nucleus, Radioactivity, Unit 1
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