Level of Education
4-year college degree
ECTS
2 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Description
This course covers the various fundamental elements necessary for understanding natural and artificial radioactive phenomena. The goal is to establish a comprehensive understanding of concepts related to radioactive decay, natural radioactive families and their associated environmental impacts, dating methods, methods for producing radionuclides and their applications in various fields, as well as anthropogenic contributions. Various examples from fields such as industry, nuclear energy, radiochemistry, geochemistry, and nuclear medicine will be used to illustrate the basic concepts covered.
Hourly volumes*:
CM: 12:00 p.m.
TD: 8:00 a.m.
Objectives
The objective of this course is to provide students with a broad foundation of knowledge ranging from the description of radioactive decay and radioactive series to the various categories of radioelements and radionuclides, as well as their potential applications. It will also provide an overview of the different categories of natural radioactivity—whether primordial or induced—and artificial radioactivity.
Mandatory Prerequisites
Courses in chemistry, physical chemistry, or physical sciences
Knowledge Assessment
Comprehensive Continuous Monitoring
Course Outline
General Information:
- History and Discoveries
- Description of radioactive decay processes
- Concept of a decline period
- Basic Concepts of Radioelements and Radionuclides
- Fertile or fissile material
- Fission reaction and fission products
- Radioactive decay chains:
- Examples of affiliation with one or more bodies
- Extension of the problem to n-body systems (Bateman's law)
- Impact on the upstream portion of the nuclear power cycle
- Implications for the management of certain types of nuclear waste
- Radioactive families:
- Cases of families with natural population decline
- The Unique Role of Radon
- Applications of geochemical dating methods
- List of Radioactive Phenomena:
- Naturally Occurring Radioactive Phenomena
- Radioactive phenomena of artificial origin
- Induced phenomena
- Anthropogenic contribution
- The Role of Radon in the Radioecotoxicological Inventory
- Chemical, physical, radiochemical, geochemical, and medical applications
Instruction will take the form of lectures and tutorials focused on case studies from various fields of industrial application, as well as in the fields of radiochemistry, nuclear medicine, geochemistry, and the environment.
Additional Information
Administrative contact(s): Chemistry Master's Program Office