ABSTRACT VIEW
ENHANCING NUCLEAR PHYSICS EDUCATION THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF COMPUTER SIMULATIONS AND REAL EXPERIMENTS IN UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION
A. Gherghelaș1, O. Ristea2, A. Jipa2
1 University of Bucharest / "Ion Creangă" National College (ROMANIA)
2 University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics (ROMANIA)
The use of computer simulations is an interactive method of teaching physics that has gained significant attention in recent years. Research shows that combining real experiments with simulations improves the teaching and learning of complex physics topics. Simulated laboratories are effective for verifying nuclear physics concepts in practice, as they deepen understanding and eliminate the need for complex, expensive equipment. Moreover, modeling software enables the study of phenomena that cannot be safely demonstrated in a school laboratory due to the need to handle radioactive sources and exposure to ionizing radiation.

This paper presents an educational project for upper secondary students focused on environmental radioactivity and the effects of nuclear radiation in daily life. The project aims to teach radioactivity and nuclear radiation concepts, develop scientific investigation skills, and promote personal and environmental safety. It proposes collaborative learning activities such as documentation and theoretical analysis, real experiments, computer simulations and data analysis using specialized software.The effectiveness of combining real experiments and simulations in enhancing understanding of radioactivity and nuclear radiation, along with their environmental implications, is evaluated by analyzing the project's results and impact on learning.

Keywords: Educational project, radioactivity, nuclear radiation, computer simulation.