Isotopes in the Hydrogeologic System
Initial Publication Date: June 6, 2013
Summary
The students will use activities to understand atomic mass and isotopes and stable isotopic fractionation in the hydrologic system.
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Context
Audience
Undergraduate course in Hydrogeology (required for environmental geology major)
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
Students must understand what an isotope is and the difference in stable and radioactive isotopes before they can complete this activity. This is a good activity to accompany a lecture on isotopes.
How the activity is situated in the course
This is an activity that is an enhancement of what is gone over in class. It actually has students perform the calculations associated with isotopic systems.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity
Atomic Mass and Isotopic Abundance and Stable Isotopic Fractionation
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
The higher order thinking skills involved with this activity are those involving calculations and analysis of their collected data.
Other skills goals for this activity
The students will operate analytical equipment (scale/balance) and work in groups.
Description and Teaching Materials
Included in the materials below are the actual assignment and instructor's notes on materials necessary and set up of the activity. The students will be calculating the atomic mass and stable isotope fractionation decay of isotopes (candy-M&Ms).
Isotopes in the Hydrogeologic System (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 97kB Apr29 13)Instructor's Notes for activity (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 116kB Apr29 13)
Teaching Notes and Tips
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Assessment
The answers that the students give will indicate whether they understand the activity and therefore met the goals of this assignment.