For students

Nuclear technology is used every day all around Australia – in hospitals, research laboratories, and industry – and many stories about nuclear science appear in newspapers and on television. Sometimes these stories cover scientific discoveries and innovations, but often they address heated controversies such as disposal of radioactive waste or nuclear weapons proliferation.
The four themes in this resource, which explore aspects of nuclear science and technology, have been produced by ANSTO – the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation – to help you interpret the information you encounter.

Theme 1: About radioactivity

This theme, with its focus on chemistry and physics, provides the basic scientific knowledge to support an understanding of the science in each of the other three themes.

Theme 2: Life in the nuclear age

This theme examines:

the effects of nuclear radiation on living cells and organisms
the ways in which we need to control nuclear technologies, in order to keep ourselves and the environment safe from harm.

It provides a sketch of current controversies that involve the application of nuclear technology.

Theme 3: Using radiation

This theme focuses on the uses of nuclear technology in society, gives an overview of how people may benefit from nuclear technologies in their everyday lives and considers the risks and benefits of using nuclear technologies.

Theme 4: Choosing nuclear futures

This theme sets nuclear science and technology within its historical and political context, both globally and within Australia. It also looks at how Australian society makes decisions about this powerful technology by examining the roles of politicians, scientists and citizens.

Final assessment task - Nuclear news

For your final assessment you will write a newspaper article about nuclear science and technology. This is a pdf document.

Careers in Science

To learn more about the benefits of studying science in Years 11 and 12 visit this website. Studying science can lead to a wide range of fascinating scientific careers. The skills and knowledge you learn through studying science are also seen as valuable by employers in a range of different fields.