Part 7

Each of the following motion pictures explains atomic structure, fission, and the chain reaction. Additional contents are listed below with the film.

A Is for Atom, 15 minutes, sound, color, 1964. Produced by the General Electric Company. This film discusses natural and artificially produced elements, stable and unstable atoms, principles and applications of nuclear reactors, and the benefits of atomic radiation to biology, medicine, industry, and agriculture. (Level: elementary through high school.)

Atomic Energy, 10 minutes, sound, black and white, 1950. Produced by Encyclopedia Britannica Films, Inc. The film explains nuclear synthesis and shows how, through photosynthesis, the sun’s energy is stored on earth and released through combustion. (Level: intermediate through high school.)

Controlling Atomic Energy, 13½ minutes, sound, color, 1961. Produced by United World Films, Inc. This film gives a summary explanation of the following: radioactive atoms, radioactivity measurement, nuclear reactors, and the production and application of radioisotopes in biology, medicine, industry, agriculture, and research. (Level: 5th through 8th grades.)

Introducing Atoms and Nuclear Energy, 11 minutes, sound, color, 1963. Produced by Coronet Instructional Films. This film discusses nuclear fusion in the sun and, very briefly, the uses of nuclear energy. (Level: 4th through 9th grades.)

Atomic Physics, 90 minutes, sound, black and white, 1948. Produced by the J. Arthur Rank Organisation, Inc. This film discusses in detail the history and development of atomic energy with emphasis on nuclear physics. Dalton’s basic atomic theory, Faraday’s early electrolysis experiments, and Mendeleev’s periodic table, the investigation of cathode rays, discovery of the electron, how the nature of positive rays was established, and the discovery of X rays are among the historical highlights. Explanation is presented of the work of the Joliot-Curie’s and Chadwick in the discovery of the neutron, and the splitting of the lithium atom by Cockcroft and Walton. Einstein tells how their work illustrates his theory of equivalence of mass and energy. (Level: high school.)

Unlocking the Atom, 20 minutes, sound, black and white, 1950. Produced by United World Films, Inc. This film explains the properties of alpha, beta, and gamma rays, cyclotrons, and the contributions of various scientists. (Level: junior and senior high school.)

This “Understanding the Atom” series of semi-technical lecture films is designed for inclusion in a high school senior-level chemistry or physics course, or it could be used as an introductional unit in nuclear science at the college level. The films all have sound and are in black and white.

Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, 44 minutes, 1962. Radiation and Matter, 44 minutes, 1962. Radiation Detection by Ionization, 30 minutes, 1962. Radiation Detection by Scintillation, 30 minutes, 1963. Properties of Radiation, 30 minutes, 1962. Nuclear Reactions, 29½ minutes, 1963. Radiological Safety, 30 minutes, 1963.

FOOTNOTES

For more information about these devices, see Accelerators, a companion booklet in this Understanding the Atom series.

For more information, see Synthetic Transuranium Elements, another booklet in this series.

The designation ²³⁵U is a new format, now in international usage, for the more familiar style, U²³⁵, to designate isotopes.

For more about plutonium, see Plutonium, a companion booklet in this series.

For more information on reactors, see Nuclear Reactors, another booklet in this series.

Transcriber’s Notes

—Silently corrected a few typos.

—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by underscores.