KJM3900 – Radioactivity
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course gives a broad introduction to radioactivity and the application of radioactivity. It is for anyone wanting to know what radioactivity and ionizing radiation are and how it can be used. The course is recommended for everyone who intends to work with nuclear and radiochemistry, but also for persons who are going to work with radioactivity and radioactive material in related fields, e.g. medicine, biotechnology, chemistry, pharmacy, geology, physics, etc. The course is also relevant for students who just want an introductory course in this challenging field. In addition to basics, we touch upon many different subjects, e.g. nuclear reactors, fission, fusion, nuclear medicine, the formation of the elements in the cosmos, super-heavy elements, nuclear bombs, accelerators, etc.
Learning outcome
After completing the course, you will:
- know what radioactivity is and how it arises
- know about radioactivity in nature and why it is there
- know about fundamental concepts e.g. half-life, radioactive series and isotope generators
- have a fundamental understanding about what a nucleus "looks like" (shell model, liquid drop model, magic numbers).
- understand disintegration processes, nuclear reactions, and fission.
- know the fundamental principles for a nuclear reactor and the different problems around them (criticality, waste, security)
- understand on a fundamental level how radioactivity is used in medicine for diagnosis and therapy (nuclear medicine)
- know about typical examples of how radioactivity is used in research and industry.
The objective is to give the students a basis for using radioactivity and related radiation in different types of activity in a versatile and competent way. The course is recommended for everyone who is going to use radioactivity in their MSc, regardless of topic.
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for?in Studentweb.
The course has a capacity of 30 students. Applicants are prioritized in the following order:
- Students continuing their master studies in the environmental science research section
- Students who will be working with radioactivity in their research project at UiO
- Students who will be working with radioactivity in their research project outside of UiO
Special admission requirements
In addition to fulfilling the?Higher Education Entrance Qualification, applicants have to meet the following special admission requirements:
- Mathematics R1 (or Mathematics S1 and S2) + R2
And in addition one of these:
- Physics (1+2)
- Chemistry (1+2)
- Biology (1+2)
- Information technology (1+2)
- Geosciences (1+2)
- Technology and theories of research (1+2)
The special admission requirements may also be covered by equivalent studies from Norwegian upper secondary school or by other equivalent studies?(in Norwegian).
Recommended previous knowledge
KJM1002 – Introduction to Chemistry or equivalent courses.?It is recommended to follow this course no earlier than the fourth semester during your bachelor studies.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with KJM5900 – Radioactivity (discontinued).
- 10 credits overlap with KJM4900 – Radioactivity.
Teaching
The course consists of 14?days of teaching (once a week) which normally looks like this:
- Morning lecture (09:15-10:15)
- Project work and/or calculation exercises (10:30-12:00)
- Afternoon lecture (12:45-13:30)
- "Today's Special": Lecture/exercise/group work/etc. (13:45-15:00)
- Self study without teaching assistant (15:00-16:00)
The classroom teaching consists of lectures, exercises, and small projects. A project assignment needs to be completed during the semester and needs to be approved before?you can sit for the final exam.
The course operates with a "mandatory point system" where attendance in activities is awarded points. You will need a minimum amount of points (announced at the start of the semester) in order to sit for the exam. You will get many of these points when working on the mandatory project.
Completed and approved mandatory project is valid for six semesters beyond the semester it was approved. After this period, you must complete the obligatory project again to be able to sit for the final examination.
It is mandatory to attend the first lecture (including students on the waiting list). If you are unable to attend the first lecture, you must notify the Department of Chemistry before the start of the lecture, otherwise your course registration will be cancelled.
Examination
- Final written exam, 4 hours, which counts 100 % towards the final?grade.?
This course has mandatory exercises that must be approved before you can sit the final exam.
It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses: KJM4900 – Radioactivity
Examination support material
- Chart of nuclides (must be brought by the candidate).
- Approved calculator (only in Norwegian)
Language of examination
You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.
Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass the original examination.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.