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rad outreach programs
Detectable sources of radiation that people can easily come into contact
with would probably be useful in your demonstrations. I have begun
carrying around a 3.5 ounce jar of salt substitute (potassium chloride)
and using it to demonstrate the response of my thin window GM. It's
worth 100 - 200 cpm and you need to be in a low background area, but it
fascinates people to find detectable radioactivity in something they
purchase to EAT. I have left the "security seal" intact so no one
accuses me of doping it with something else. It provides a nifty demo
since something like 0.12% of potassium is K-40. It leads nicely into a
discussion of natural radioactivity, its presence as a constituent of
the body, blah blah blah.
Steven Souza, Lockheed Missles and Space Co., Inc.
Alternate Radiation Safety Officer tel (408) 742-0767
Sunnyvale, CA 94089 fax (408) 742-0611
PROFS: SSOUZA Internet: L691731@lmsc5.is.lmsc.lockheed.com
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Date: Tue, 4 Oct 94 18:01:02 -0500
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From: Kathleen=McIntyre%occsafe%sep@sep2.sep.bnl.gov
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Subject: rad outreach programs
X-Listserver-Version: 6.0 -- UNIX ListServer by Anastasios Kotsikonas
X-Comment: Radiation Safety Distribution List
i'm interested in a few new ideas suitable for science outreach projects. My
target audience is varied...grade school to college level students. for the
general students (grade school, non-science major college kids) i've found a
GM survey instrument and natural sources of radioactivity (sand, rocks) to be
a pretty big hit. fiesta ware, lantern mantels and irradiated crystals, etc
are also included. i also demonstrate the basic radiological controls of
time, distance and shielding.
for the students of SCIENCE!, i usually set up a demo with gamma spectroscopy
and allow them to identify/quantify an "unknown" radioactive source.
although i've used this routine (with a few twists and updates) for six or so
years with audience enthusiasm...i'm bored...so, any suggestions would be
great.
oh, i'm also collecting video snipets from sci-fi (i use that term loosely)
movies dealing with radiation and the effects on humans/other living things -
any suggestions? any advice on retrieving a copy of the 1950's version of
radiation safety for the public would be just gosh golly swell! this will
complement my comic book card collection of super heros and villains that
received their special talents from the effects of radiation... i find this
provides a reality check with the students and may actually encourage them to
read about the topic...
my direct e-mail address: mcintyre@bnl.gov thanks