Using Everyday Materials to Shield Nuclear Radiation

A well-known lab experiment has students collect data from a Geiger counter and a radioactive beta-emitting source to determine a radioactive half-life. Over time, this radioactivity lab has expanded to analyze the distance dependence of Geiger counter data counts and also the shielding effects using plastic, aluminum, and lead sheets. We have moved further in this shielding direction and have students experiment with common everyday materials to see how effectively they 'protect against radioactivity' by determining the materials' half-thickness. From the expanded lab, students have a better understanding of nuclear energy and have become more comfortable with nuclear power plants as an energy source.