Do you know your 3R’s? Radiation, Radioactivity and Radon
Day, Date, Time: Saturday, October 26, 2024, Workshop 8:30 – 2:00 (30 min lunch).
Contact Hours: 5
Food: Bring a sack lunch. Snacks and drinks provided.
Location: The Campus, 6113 Constitution Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80915
Presenters: Margaret Horton, MPH (she/her/ella), Program Specialist, Colorado Radon Program,
CDPH&E and Rae Lyn Young, Course Instructor
Description: Did you know? Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas responsible for hundreds of Colorado lung cancer deaths each year. The colorless, odorless, tasteless gas can enter homes through cracks in the foundation or other openings and can accumulate unless properly mitigated. Long-term radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second-leading cause of lung cancer in smokers. In Colorado, about half the homes have radon levels higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended action level of 4 picoCuries per liter of indoor air.
Join PALS for this workshop where you will learn about radiation, radioactivity and radon through a sequence of hands-on activities written for students in grades five through twelve. The purpose of the module, “Do You Know Your 3 R’s? Radiation, Radioactivity & Radon”, is to introduce young people to major science concepts related to radiation, radioactivity, and radon so that they develop a healthy respect for the topic. In this workshop you will use Geiger counters and cloud chambers to ‘see’ ionizing radiation in our environment, explore basic concepts of radioactivity (nuclear emissions, half-life, decay series), and develop an understanding of radioactive radon’s source and effect on humans. After this workshop you will have access to the Teacher Resource kits to use, including geiger counter, cloud chamber, radioactive sources and more!