|
|
| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
2002
>
June
> |
|
In the Classroom
|
|
|
|
Radioactivity, Radiation, and the Chemistry of Nuclear Waste
|
Nick Zevos
Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College at Potsdam, Potsdam, NY 13676
|
|
June 2002
Vol. 79 No. 6
p. 692
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Abstract |
|
A chemistry course for nonmajors, which centers on the chemistry of nuclear waste, has as a prerequisite at least two semesters of general chemistry. The initial part of the course introduces a number of topics necessary to discuss the construction and operation of nuclear reactors. The focus is on isotope production, primarily, plutonium. In the second section, radiation chemistry is introduced, emphasizing the generation of primary radicals from the interaction of molecules with charged particles and the subsequent chemical reactions of these primary radicals. The final section of the course is devoted to the treatment of nuclear waste by vitrification and applications based on nuclear or radiation chemistry. Throughout, the course presents historical material related to nuclear sites operated by the U.S. government, particularly those that were involved in plutonium production. It deals with the high-level nuclear waste generated by the production process, the methods used to store the waste in the past, problems created by these methods, and some of the storage methods currently being considered for the future.
|
| Supplement |
A list of topics covered in the course, additional references, and further details of radiation and storage tank chemistry are available.
|
 Contents |
JCE2002p0692W.doc (Microsoft Word)
|
| Download |
|
|
| More Information |
Citation |
Zevos, Nick. J. Chem. Educ. 2002 79 692.
|
Keywords |
Aqueous Solution Chemistry; Environmental Chemistry; Free Radicals; Nuclear / Radiochemistry
|
History |
Created:
Last Updated: |
May 17, 2002
March 16, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
2002
>
June
> Page
692
|
|
|
| JCE HS CLIC |
|
Our Secondary School editors work hard to distill all the JCE materials to produce a fraction of particular interest to high school teachers. We call it CLIC.
|
| Contributions Welcome |
| JCE welcomes your submission |
| Advertisers |
| In recent years we have worked hard to better match our advertisers with our readers. When shopping for chemistry education materials, visit our advertisers' WWW sites first. |
| Be An Ambassador |
| Take JCE along on your outreach missions. Copies of the Journal, guest access to JCE Online, our publications catalog, and more are available for your participants. |
|
