Syllabus
Instructor Name: Dr. T. B. BorakOutside references for this class:
Course Prerequisites
Completion of General Physics and Calculus courses
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Course Requirements
Homework: Several sets of homework problems will be assigned. Not all problem sets will be collected.
Those collected by the instructor will be graded and returned. There may be several short quizzes
administered during the course. Quizzes will be graded and returned. Some quizzes may be unannounced.
Quiz grades will be included in the homework portion of the overall course grade.
Assigned Examinations: Two exams (55 minutes duration) and a two-hour final-examination
for a total of 400 points.
Hardware Required: Access to a PC computer
Software Required: Spreadsheet, Word processor and programs furnished by the instructor
Grading Policy: Homework/quizzes 30% Exams and Final 70%
Course Outline and Schedule
Reading assignments are from Attix (A), Johns and Cunningham (J&C) and Turner (T),.
Supplemental readings from Knoll (K) are also listed. Additional materials will be provided by the
instructor.
| Date | Topic | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Lecture 1 | Definition of Radiation | J&C: 1.01-1.02, T: 1.1-1.6 , A: p 1-8 |
| Lecture 2 | Atomic and Nuclear Structure | J&C: 1.03-1.07 , T: 2.1-2.7, 2.10- 2.11,T: 3.1 |
| Lecture 3 | Definition of Q, Mass Defect | T: 3.2 |
Lecture 4 |
Nuclear Decay Schemes | J&C: 1.08-1.13, T: 3.3-3.4, A: p86-96 |
| Lecture 5 | Nuclear Decay Schemes | J&C: 3.06-3.14, T: 3.5-3.8, A: p86-96 |
| Lecture 6 | Radioactivity | J&C: 3.01-3.05, T: 4.1-4.3, A: 101-103 |
| Lecture 7 | Serial Radioactivity | J&C: 3.15-3.16, A: p103-112 |
| Lecture 8 | Transient Equilibrium | T: 4.4-4.5 |
| Lecture 9 | Statistical Nature of Radioactivity | J&C: 14.05, T: 11.1-11.8, K: 3.I-3.II |
| Lecture 10 | Lower Level of Detection | T: 11.9-11.10 |
| Lecture 11 | Minimum Detection Limits | |
| Lecture 12 | Cross Sections and Attenuation Coefficients | J&C: 5.01-5.05 , T: 8.1,8.7 |
| Lecture 13 | Indirectly Ionizing Radiation | J&C: 5.06-5.09, T: 8.2-8.4,8.8 K: 2.III |
| Lecture 14 | Photon Interactions in Matter | J&C: 5.10-5.13, T: 8.5-8.6, A: p124-157 |
| Lecture 15 | Photon Interactions in Matter | J&C: 6.01-6.09 |
| Lecture 16 | Review for Examination I | |
| Lecture 17 | Examination I | |
| Lecture 18 | Neutron Interactions | T: 9.1-9., K: 2.IV |
| Lecture 19 | Neutron Cross Sections | T: 9.4, A: p463-468 |
| Lecture 20 | Neutron Energy Loss | T: 9.5-9.6 |
| Lecture 21 | Fission | J&C: 3.17, 3.20, T: 9.9-9.11 |
| Lecture 22 | Directly Ionizing Radiation | J&C: 6.11 |
| Lecture 23 | Interaction of Heavy Ions with Matter | T: 5.1-5.12 |
| Lecture 24 | Interaction of Heavy Ions with Matter | K: 2.I, A: 160-164 |
| Lecture 25 | Interaction of Electrons with Matter | J&C: 6.12-6.16 |
| Lecture 26 | Interaction of Electrons with Matter | T: 6.1-6.7, K: 2.II ,A:165-186 |
| Lecture 27 | Radiation Quantities and Units | J&C: 7.01 |
| Lecture 28 | Radiation Quantities and Units | T: 12.1-12.2, K: 2.V , A: p20-36 |
| Lecture 29 | Principles of Radiation Dosimetry | J&C: 7.02, A: p264-290, A: P154-157, A: p187-195 |
| Lecture 30 | Charged Particle Equilibrium | J&C: 7.03, A: p61-75 |
| Lecture 31 | Gamma-Ray Exposure Constant | J&C: 7.15, T: 12.9, pp. 368-70 |
| Lecture 32 | Review for Examination II |
|
| Lecture 33 | Examination II |
|
| Lecture 34 | Meas. of Radiation by Ionization | J&C: 7.04, A: p292-343 |
| Lecture 35 | Bragg-Gray Theory | T: 12.4 , A: p231-259 |
| Lecture 36 | General Cavity Theory | J&C: 7.05 |
| Lecture 37 | Production of X-rays | J&C: Ch. 2 |
| Lecture 38 | X-ray Machines |
|
| Lecture 39 | Dosimetry of X-rays | J&C Ch.8 |
| Lecture 40 | Natural Background Radiation | J&C Sect. 15.03 |
| Lecture 41 | Natural Background Radiation | T. Sect 4.5, 1.5 |
| Lecture 42 | Radiation Protection Standards | T. Ch. 14 |
| Lecture 43 | Radiation Protection Standards | T. Ch. 14 |
| Lecture 44 | Review | |
| Final Examination |
Cheating will not be tolerated. The first time you are caught cheating you will get a ZERO for the task (exam, quiz, plagiarism on a paper or any other task). Integrity is the cornerstone of all health physics and any infraction, however slight, is not excusable for any reason. If another is found to be complicit in cheating, they too will receive a zero. If you are discovered to be cheating a second time you will receive a failing grade for the class. The Course Director will make the determination if a student has been cheating.
Mailing Address
Environmental & Radiological Health Sciences
