A Bundle of Phyz: NUCLEAR PHYSICS

Segment 4 of Physics of the Universe (the NGSS Three-Course Model physics course) is all about nuclear physics. There are only six segments for the whole course, and one of them is nuclear. I don't know about you, but I know I wasn't going hard at nuclear physics in my regular physics course prior to Physics of the Universe.

The bundle opens with a question set for Conceptual Physics Alive's "Radioactivity," followed by a PhET-fueled fun activity, "Radioactive Speed Dating" for some quick radiometric dating practice. 

Then it's on to "Einstein's Big Idea," a wonderful NOVA special based on David Bordanis' E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation. This feature-length documentary is a nice journey through several big ideas in physics and fleshes out the human stories of the people who developed those ideas. It could serve as an end-of-year course review to some extent.

We return to Paul Hewitt for his lesson on "Fission and Fusion". Hewitt worked as a uranium prospector in the American Southwest, so nuclear physics is of great interest to him. He explains well how energy is released in both fission and fusion.

Part 2 of Jim Al-Khalili's Atom tells the story of how our understanding of the nucleus came together, and of the people who cobbled that understanding together. "Key to the Cosmos" also connects nuclear physics to cosmology—in keeping with the broad theme of Physics of the Universe.

The bundle ends with Atomic Café, a poignant documentary constructed of Cold War era "educational" films, news reels, and Department of War propaganda. The source material is edited so expertly that no "voice of God" narration is needed to craft the story that the film makers intended to tell. I think it's one of the best documentaries ever made.

A Bundle of Phyz: NUCLEAR PHYSICS at Teachers Pay Teachers

As always, all items in the collection are available separately. They're all print-friendly Google Docs that live on Google Drive. And they all include answer keys.