For further resources, including printable templates for the 4.2.1 project modeling nuclear reactions, consult your course’s learning management system or peer-reviewed journals such as The Physics Teacher.
| Criteria | Excellent (25 pts) | Proficient (20 pts) | Developing (15 pts) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Perfect conservation of A and Z | Minor arithmetic error | Missing nucleons or charge | | Model Aesthetics & Clarity | Color-coded, labeled, easy to follow | Some labels missing | Messy, confusing layout | | Energy Calculation | Q-value correct with units | Calculation present but incorrect unit | No calculation | | Written Analysis | Explains limitations and real-world link | Describes process only | Incomplete sentences | 4.2.1 project modeling nuclear reactions
| Reaction Type | Description | Example | |---------------|-------------|---------| | | Nucleus emits an alpha particle (2 protons, 2 neutrons) | Uranium-238 → Thorium-234 + Helium-4 | | Beta Decay | Neutron turns into proton + electron (beta particle) | Carbon-14 → Nitrogen-14 + electron | | Gamma Decay | Nucleus releases energy (gamma ray), no change in particles | Cobalt-60 → Cobalt-60 + γ | | Nuclear Fission | Heavy nucleus splits into smaller nuclei + neutrons + energy | Uranium-235 + neutron → Barium-141 + Krypton-92 + 3 neutrons | | Nuclear Fusion | Light nuclei combine into heavier nucleus + energy | Hydrogen-2 + Hydrogen-3 → Helium-4 + neutron | For further resources, including printable templates for the
Requires extreme heat and pressure to overcome electrical repulsion. Produces highly radioactive fission products. Produces little to no long-term radioactive waste. Evaluating and Creating Models Produces little to no long-term radioactive waste
At its core, the is a structured academic exercise where students create physical, computational, or mathematical models to simulate the behavior of atomic nuclei during radioactive decay, fission, and fusion. The goal is not merely to memorize equations but to visualize the conservation of nucleons, energy release (Q-values), and the probabilistic nature of decay.