About the Science Reasoning Center

Highly Recommended
Like all our Science Reasoning Center activities, the completion of Nuclear Chemistry relies on the use of provided information about a phenomenon, experiment, or data presentation to answer questions. This information is accessible by tapping on the small thumbnails found on the bottom right of every question. However, it may be considerably easier to have a printed copy of this information or to display the information in a separate browser window. You can access this information from this page.





The Standards
The Nuclear Chemistry activity is an NGSS-inspired task that consists of five activities that focus on alpha decay, beta decay, gamma emission, nuclear fission, and nuclear fusion. Students use models of each of these nuclear transformations to answer questions, predict results, provide explanations, and analyze data. The activities align with the HS-PS1-8 performance expectation of the Next Generation Science Standards.


This NGSS-inspired task consists of five parts. Each part involves a different type of skill or understanding. Collectively, the five parts were designed to address the following NGSS performance expectation:

HS-PS1-8:
Develop models to illustratethe changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atomand the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.



As a whole, the questions in this task address a wide collection of disciplinary core idea (DCI), crosscutting concepts (CCC), and science and engineering practices (SEP). There are 69 multi-part questions organized into 22 Question Groups and spread across the five activities. Each question is either a 2D or (preferably) a 3D question. That is, the task of answering the question requires that the student utilize at least two of the three dimensions of the NGSS science standards - a DCI, a CCC, and/or an SEP.


The following DCI, SEPs, and CCCs are addressed at some point within Stoichiometry:

DCI: PS1.C Nuclear Processes

• Nuclear processes, including fusion, fission, and radioactive decays of unstable nuclei, involve release or absorption of energy. The total number of neutrons plus protons does not change in any nuclear process.

SEP 2.3: Developing and Using Models
Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system.


SEP 2.4: Developing and Using Models
Develop and/or use multiple types of models to provide mechanistic accounts and/or predict phenomena, and move flexibly between model types based on merits and limitations.


SEP 4.1: Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models (e.g., computational, mathematical) in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution.


SEP 6.3: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Apply scientific ideas, principles, and/or evidence to provide an explanation of phenomena and solve design problems, taking into account possible unanticipated effects.


SEP 7.1: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Compare and evaluate competing arguments or design solutions in light of currently accepted explanations, new evidence, limitations (e.g., trade-offs), constraints, and ethical issues.



CCC 3.1: Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
The significance of a phenomenon is dependent on the scale, proportion, and quantity at which it occurs.


CCC 4.2: Systems and System Models
Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions—including energy, matter, and information flows—within and between systems at different scales.


CCC 5.1: Energy and Matter
In nuclear processes, atoms are not conserved, but the total number of protons plus neutrons is conserved.


CCC 5.3: Energy and Matter
Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system.


CCC 7.1: Stability and Change
Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.
Here is our NGSS-based analysis of each individual activity of the Nuclear Chemistry Science Reasoning task. The core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices that we reference in our analysis are numbered for convenience. You can cross-reference the specific notations that we have used with the listings found on the following pages:

Disclaimer: The standards are not our original work. We are simply including them here for convenience (and because we have referenced the by number). The standards are the property of the Next Generation Science Standards.

Part 1: Matching Pairs

This activity consists of 16 forced-choice questions organized into four Question Groups. Students must match the name of a particle or a nuclear process to the corresponding symbol, graphical representation, nuclear equation, or description. Students earn the Trophy for the activity when they demonstrate mastery of all four Question Groups.


NGSS Claim Statement: Use the modelsfor fission, fusion, and nuclear decayto match the various components of the models to the type of decay process.

Target DCI(s)	Target SEP(s)	Target CCC(s)
Nuclear Processes PS1.C Nuclear processes, including fusion, fission, and radioactive decays of unstable nuclei, involve release or absorption of energy. The total number of neutrons plus protons does not change in any nuclear process.	Developing and Using Models SEP 2.3 Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system.	Energy and Matter CCC 5.1 In nuclear processes, atoms are not conserved, but the total number of protons plus neutrons is conserved.

Part 2: Particle Book Keeping

This activity consists of 12 multi-part questions organized into four Question Groups. Each question presents a nuclear equation for either alpha decay, beta decay, fission, or fusion. The questions require five answers. Students must identify the type of process depicted by the equation. Then students must identify the total number of protons and neutrons before and after the process. Finally, the students must determine the total charge (for the nucleus plus the particles) before and after the process. Students earn the Trophy for the activity when they demonstrate mastery of all four Question Groups.


NGSS Claim Statement: Develop a model based on four different representionsof nuclear processesin order to support a claim regarding the total number of protons and neutrons before and after the nuclear process.

Target DCI(s)	Target SEP(s)	Target CCC(s)
Nuclear Processes PS1.C Nuclear processes, including fusion, fission, and radioactive decays of unstable nuclei, involve release or absorption of energy. The total number of neutrons plus protons does not change in any nuclear process.	Developing and Using Models SEP 2.3 Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system.	Energy and Matter CCC 5.1 In nuclear processes, atoms are not conserved, but the total number of protons plus neutrons is conserved.

Part 3: Predicting Results

This activity consists of 20 questions organized into five Question Groups. Each question includes a verbal description of either alpha decay, beta decay, gamma decay, fission, or fusion. Students must identify the isotope that results from the process. This includes identifying the elemental symbol, the mass number, and the atomic number. Students earn the Trophy for the activity when they demonstrate mastery of all five Question Groups.



NGSS Claim Statement: Use a modelabout the conservation of the total number of protons and neutronsto make a predictionregarding the nuclear symbol of the isotope produced by a nuclear process.

Target DCI(s)	Target SEP(s)	Target CCC(s)
Nuclear Processes PS1.C Nuclear processes, including fusion, fission, and radioactive decays of unstable nuclei, involve release or absorption of energy. The total number of neutrons plus protons does not change in any nuclear process. .	Developing and Using Models SEP 2.4 Develop and/or use multiple types of models to provide mechanistic accounts and/or predict phenomena, and move flexibly between model types based on merits and limitations.	Energy and Matter CCC 5.1 In nuclear processes, atoms are not conserved, but the total number of protons plus neutrons is conserved. Systems and System Models CCC 4.1 When investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and described using models.

Part 4: Energy Analysis

This activity consists of 16 forced-choice questions organized into four Question Groups. Students are presented with a table of information contrasting the energy outputs of fusion, fission, and methane combustion. They must use the information to identify accurate claims consistent with the evidence. Students earn the Trophy for the activity when they demonstrate mastery of all four Question Groups.


NGSS Claim Statement: Analyze data pertaining to competing energy resources (including nuclear fission and fusion) to compare the energy outputs of each resource and to show the contrasting scales by which they produce energy.

Target DCI(s)	Target SEP(s)	Target CCC(s)
Nuclear Processes PS1.C Nuclear processes, including fusion, fission, and radioactive decays of unstable nuclei, involve release or absorption of energy. The total number of neutrons plus protons does not change in any nuclear process.	Analyzing and Interpreting Data SEP 4.1 Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models (e.g., computational, mathematical) in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution. Engaging in Argument from Evidence SEP 7.1 Compare and evaluate competing arguments or design solutions in light of currently accepted explanations, new evidence, limitations (e.g., trade-offs), constraints, and ethical issues.	Energy and Matter CCC 5.3 Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system. Scale, Proportion, and Quantity CCC 3.1 The significance of a phenomenon is dependent on the scale, proportion, and quantity at which it occurs.

Part 5: Paragraph Completion

This activity involves five paragraph-completion exercises. Students use a word/phrase bank to select missing words and phrases in order to complete a paragraph. The paragraphs focus on the five different models of nuclear change. There are five such paragraphs, including between 7 and 10 blanks each. Once students complete their paragraph, they can submit their answers for evaluation and feedback. On each answer submission, they are told the number of correct blanks but not told which blanks are correct. Students have an unlimited number of opportunities to correct their answers. Students earn the Trophy for the activity once they correctly complete all five paragraphs.

NGSS Claim Statement: Apply scientific ideas regarding fission, fusion, and nuclear decaytoconstruct an explanationdescribing how such changes occur in terms of matter and energy.

Target DCI(s)	Target SEP(s)	Target CCC(s)
Nuclear Processes PS1.C Nuclear processes, including fusion, fission, and radioactive decays of unstable nuclei, involve release or absorption of energy. The total number of neutrons plus protons does not change in any nuclear process.	Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions SEP 6.3 Apply scientific ideas, principles, and/or evidence to provide an explanation of phenomena and solve design problems, taking into account possible unanticipated effects.	Systems and System Models CCC 4.2 Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions—including energy, matter, and information flows—within and between systems at different scales. Stability and Change CCC 7.1 Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

Complementary and Similar Resources
The following resources at The Physics Classroom website complement the Nuclear Chemistry Science Reasoning Activity. Teachers may find them useful for supporting students and/or as components of lesson plans and unit plans.

Concept Builders, Chemistry - Nuclear Decay

The Calculator Pad, Nuclear Chemistry, Problem Sets 1 - 8