Unit D: Atomic Physics

Discover a list of resources to get you thinking about all things nuclear!

Learn about why Canada is a world leader in nuclear technology.

Particle accelerators have amazing applications - from growing food to making airplanes safe.

Physicists are a bit like chefs, except they’re trying to figure out the recipe for the universe.

Melissa Valdez talks about her exciting work on antimatter at CERN when she was a graduate student at York University.

This backgrounder explains the potential effects of radiation on the human body.

Learn about the different types of radiation, how they interact with atoms and how they can affect you.

These two “point-counterpoint” videos provide arguments for and against using nuclear energy to generate electricity.

Radiocarbon dating is a method of radiometric dating. Learn how archaeologists use carbon isotopes to find the age of organic materials at archaeological sites.

The life and death of stars form the chemical elements that make up Earth, making stars critical to life as we know it.

One of the greatest hazards that humans in space face is cosmic radiation. Learn what cosmic radiation is, why it's dangerous, and ways that we are looking at protecting humans in deep space.

Gamma rays might make you think of cancer, harmful radiation or superheroes. But gamma rays have lots of uses: food safety, manufacturing and even medicine!