Assignments

PROBLEM SETS SOLUTIONS
Problem Set 1: Retracing Chadwick's Steps, Typical Nuclear Calculations (PDF) Problem Set 1 Solutions (PDF)
Problem Set 2: Nuclear Stability and Q-values (PDF)

Problem Set 2 Solutions (PDF)

Gnumeric Spreadsheets Showing Intermediate Solutions (ZIP) (The ZIP file contains: 3 .gnumeric files)
Problem Set 3: Smoke Detectors, Radioactive Decay and Energetics (PDF) Problem Set 3 Solutions (PDF)
Problem Set 4: Activity, Half-life, Radioactive Food, Statistics, and Radioactive Dating (PDF) Problem Set 4 Solutions (PDF)

Problem Set 5: Photon and Electron Interactions with Matter (PDF)

Problem Set 5 Lab: Banana Activity Estimation (PDF)

Banana Spectroscopy Data and Efficiency (ZIP) (The ZIP file contains: 6 .pdf files)

Problem Set 5 Solutions (PDF)

Pictures of the Banana Lab (PDF)
Problem Set 6: Ion and Electron Interactions with Matter (PDF) Problem Set 6 Solutions (PDF)
Problem Set 7: Neutrons, Shielding, and Reactor Criticality (PDF) Problem Set 7 Solutions (PDF)
Problem Set 8: Radiation Dose and Environmental Sources (PDF) Problem Set 8 Solutions (PDF)
Problem Set 9: Biological and Chemical Effects of Radiation (PDF) Problem Set 9 Solutions (PDF)

Food Irradiation and Nuclear Debates

Analyze these two popular articles about food irradiation in the context of your textbook reading.

  1. Mercola.com. "Top 10 Reasons For Opposing Food Irradiation." For this article, look up the primary references used to try to prove that food irradiation is dangerous. Point out which arguments, if any, are logically or technically incorrect.
  2. "What's Wrong with Food Irradiation." Organic Consumers Association.

For this article, point out all the scientific inaccuracies which invalidate its arguments. Use primary sources and / or the required readings from the course to make your point in a quantitative manner.

 no solution provided

Useful Links for Problem Sets

Old Version of KAERI Nuclide Table
Use this for nuclear decay and mass data

NIST Tables of X-Ray Absorption Coefficients

JANIS Nuclear Database
Use this for any cross section plots or tabulations

Gnumeric
An open-source spreadsheet program