2024 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
Basic Nuclear Engineering 4
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Yoshihisa Matsumoto
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- TSE.A340
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This class teaches the basics of radiation and its biological effects. It starts from the physical basis of radiation: what are alpha-ray, beta-ray, gamma-ray, X-ray etc and how their quantities are expressed. Next we learn the source and quantity of natural radiation exposure. Then we learn biological effects of radiation and its relationship to radiation dose. Finally we learn use of radiation in medical field and principles of safety use.
Course description and aims
By the end of this class, student will be able to:
1) Explain the types and properties of radiations and how they are emitted or generated,
2) Explain the quantity and unit of radiation,
3) Explain the source and quantity of natural radiation exposure,
4) Explain the relationship between radiation dose and biological effects,
5) Explain how radiation is applied in the medical diagnosis and therapeutics,
6) Explain basic principles of safety use of radiation.
Keywords
Radiation, Radioactivity, Biological effect, Cancer radiotherapy.
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Class will be proceeded based on course materials on OCW-i. Students will be given an assignment (homework) to check the learning in each class.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | What is radiation? | Explain what are alpha-ray, beta-ray, gamma-ray, X-ray, etc. and how they are emitted or generated. |
| Class 2 | How much is radiation? | Explain the quantity and units for radioactivity and radiation and radiation equilibrium. |
| Class 3 | What kind of and how much natural radiation are we exposed to? | Explain the sources and amount of natural radiation exposure. |
| Class 4 | What are the effects of radiation on us? (1)Molecular and cellular level. | Explain the effects of radiation at individual and tissue levels. |
| Class 5 | What are the effects of radiation on us? (2)Individual and tissue levels. | Explain the effects of radiation at individual and tissue levels. |
| Class 6 | How radiation is used in medical diagnosis and therapeutics? | Explain the principles of diagnostic and therapeutic uses of radiation. |
| Class 7 | How to use the radiation safely? Examination | Explain basic principles of safety use of radiation. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
None assigned.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Class materials will be uploaded on OCW-i.
Reference book: Hall EJ and Giaccia AJ. Radiobiology for the Radiologist, seventh edition. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Assignment (50%) and Examination (50%).
Related courses
- NCL.B401 ： Radiation Biology and Medicine
- TSE.A337 ： Basic Nuclear Engineering 1
- TSE.A338 ： Basic Nuclear Engineering 2
- TSE.A339 ： Basic Nuclear Engineering 3
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge on physics, chemistry and biology.