Don't be scared of Ionising Radiation

The Physics Teaching Podcast

Content provided by Thomas William-Powlett, Thomas W-P, and Robin Griffiths. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Thomas William-Powlett, Thomas W-P, and Robin Griffiths or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.

1+ y ago 31:36

MP3•Episode home

When it comes to emotive topics in physics teaching, radioactivity is up there. We have experienced colleagues who would refuse to work with school radioactive sources, even though there you generally encounter more risk while boiling a kettle. But you need to register, store and handle them properly or you could land your school with a fine.

Thomas and Robin talk radiation and encourage you to get over the administrative hurdle, talk to your RPS and get trained in the use of sources so you can teach radioactivity with sources. If your school doesn’t have an RPS and you don’t know where to start, make sure you have a CLEAPSS membership and give them a call (see links for how to contact CLEAPSS).

Surprisingly, the greatest risk is financial as falling foul of the regulations can result in a LARGE fine, so do make sure you satisfy all the requirements. You will need a Radiation Protection Officer (different to the RPS mentioned above, and generally more ‘expert’ on the regs). Between the RPO and CLEAPSS you should get enough advice to become compliant (or rarely to conclude that radioactive sources are not an option in your school).

So whilst you shouldn’t be gung-ho, this is more to ensure you don’t risk a fine; the sources themselves are not inherently dangerous if handled carefully.

Links

CLEAPSS – why join?

PDF L93 Ionising Radiations and Radioactive Substances – CLEAPSS

XKCD – comparing radioactive doses

Join in!

Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions by messaging us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/physicstp.bsky.social . You can also message us via our website contact form on every page of the web site at the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, or email using the address given in the podcast (if we remember). We are moving away from X but can be found there as @physicstp.

Music

Season 7: Physics Is Our Business by Miracles of Modern Science.
Seasons 5 and 6: Crescents by Ketsa.
Seasons 3 and 4: Disco Sheik by Podington Bear.
Seasons 1 and 2: One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.
Occasionally we also use Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith.

The music is used under the Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License

Please enable JavaScript to use the contact form.

Your Name Your Email Email Subject How many L in the word LULLABY? Your Message Send a copy to your email address? Send Message

142 episodes

#Thomas W-P and Robin Griffiths #Robin Griffiths #Thomas W-P #Physics #Science #Natural Sciences #Podcasting Education

Don't be scared of Ionising Radiation

The Physics Teaching Podcast

76 subscribers

published 1+ y ago

MP3•Episode home

So whilst you shouldn’t be gung-ho, this is more to ensure you don’t risk a fine; the sources themselves are not inherently dangerous if handled carefully.