Year 13 Physics Students Go Nuclear

The Physics Faculty at Bangkok Patana School received a very kind donation from the Thai government Office of Atoms for Peace that allows the students to learn the science behind radioactivity and how we can protect ourselves. Nuclear physics and radioactivity are fascinating but can be quite daunting when you start reading about the effects and dangers of radiation.

The resources will be used in class to help students to understand the role and uses of radiation in society, of which there are many. Having extra sources of material means that more students get a chance to see them at work. Science is never more fun than when you can become actively involved and be hands on with material (but not too hands on!).

Used in conjunction with the Physics department’s gamma ray spectrometer and Geiger counter, students can see radioactivity in person rather than just on a video. We can show that some sources are more dangerous outside the body and some can be stopped with a simple piece of paper, giving students real life demonstrations!