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Activity (Hands-On)Grades 4 - 6

Global Environment: Dangerous Air

By tracing the movement of radiation released during an accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, students see how air pollution, like particulate matter, can become a global issue.

An HDR image of Sarcophagus in the Chernobyl zone.Students investigate the Chernobyl accident and the air pollution that resulted

As they observed the pollution transport of the radiation release from Chernobyl, engineers and scientists worldwide compared measurements and predictions. Today, engineers analyze weather patterns to determine where air pollution is headed and to predict pollution concentrations in specific areas. Understanding the weather and water cycles helps environmental engineers explore the human impact from pollutant transport and issue warnings and evacuations. Engineers also learn ways to make nuclear power plants safer for the people living near them.

After this activity, students should be able to:

  • Describe how air pollution travels from one area to another.
  • Chronologically sequence the progress of radiation transport from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster.
  • Use division to convert units of speed to discover how fast pollution can travel.
  • Recognize that environmental engineers must understand water and weather cycles in order to help issue warnings and evacuations in the event of a pollutant spill.

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