Caveat Academy course · Grades 10 to 12

Nuclear Science

A semester inside the nucleus: isotopes, the strong force and binding energy, alpha, beta and gamma decay and half-lives, radiation doses, protection and medical imaging, fission, chain reactions and how a reactor makes electricity, fusion in the Sun and in the lab, and the safety, waste and policy questions behind nuclear energy. Six modules at your own pace, with a check in every lesson and a certificate at the end.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the High school electives library, $119 for 66 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 13 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: The nucleus

    Describe the structure of the nucleus, count protons and neutrons in isotopes, and compute binding energy from a mass defect.

    • Inside the atom
    • What holds the nucleus together
    • Mass, energy and binding energy
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Radioactive decay

    Write and balance alpha and beta decay equations and compute remaining amounts and activity with half-lives.

    • The discovery of radioactivity
    • Alpha, beta and gamma
    • Half-life
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Radiation and the human body

    Explain ionizing radiation, dose units and health effects, apply time, distance and shielding, and explain medical uses of isotopes.

    • Ionizing radiation and dose
    • Effects on the body and protection
    • Radiation in medicine
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Fission and nuclear power

    Explain fission and chain reactions, balance fission equations, and describe how a nuclear power plant makes electricity.

    • The discovery of fission
    • Chain reactions
    • Nuclear power plants
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Fusion: the power of the stars

    Explain fusion in stars and the origin of the elements, and evaluate the progress and challenges of fusion energy.

    • How the Sun shines
    • Where the elements came from
    • Fusion energy on Earth
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Nuclear science and society

    Analyze reactor accidents, waste management and the evidence for and against nuclear energy, using quantitative comparisons.

    • Reactor safety and accidents
    • Nuclear waste and the fuel cycle
    • Weighing nuclear energy
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 2 · Half-life

Worked example: iodine-131 after a treatment

  1. A patient receives iodine-131, half-life 8 days, for a thyroid condition.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Academics · High School$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished semester of nuclear science: you can count the protons and neutrons in any isotope and compute binding energy from a mass defect, balance alpha, beta and fission equations, work out what remains after any number of half-lives, compare radiation doses and apply the inverse square law, explain how medical isotopes, chain reactions, reactors and fusion experiments work, trace the elements in your body back to the stars, and weigh the evidence on reactor safety, waste and nuclear energy. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 10 to 12 who have had a year of algebra and some chemistry or physical science, are taking or preparing for chemistry or physics, or are curious about careers in nuclear engineering, medical physics, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine or energy policy; homeschool families who want a complete semester unit. There are no hands-on activities with radioactive materials.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 13 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the High school electives library ($119) and the Academics Suite pass ($149), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The High School space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, backgrounders on radiation, reactors, spent fuel and the Three Mile Island accident: nrc.gov
  2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, radiation sources and doses, and radon: epa.gov/radiation
  3. U.S. Energy Information Administration, nuclear explained: eia.gov
  4. International Atomic Energy Agency, nuclear safety and the Non-Proliferation Treaty: iaea.org
  5. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, National Ignition Facility achieves fusion ignition: llnl.gov
  6. OpenStax, College Physics 2e, chapters on radioactivity and nuclear physics, a free textbook: openstax.org

Nuclear Science is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It follows the sequence of a typical one-semester high school nuclear science elective but does not replace a school course or supervised lab work and awards no credit. Radiation and health lessons are general science education, not medical advice. Dose figures, energy comparisons and accident consequences are rounded, well-established estimates from public agencies; example numbers in worked problems are labeled as examples. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.