Meteorology (from Greek (meteoron): 'high in the sky', meteor, and (logos): 'knowledge, tried') is the interdisciplinary science, essentially a branch of Atmospheric Physics, which studies the weather, the air, locally produced phenomena and laws that govern it.
Let's remember that the Earth is composed of three main parts: the rigid outer part is called lithosphere; a vast proportion is covered by water-called hydrosphere, and the air round the Earth called atmosphere. They are interrelated causing profound changes. The science that studies those features, properties and the movements of the three fundamental layers of the Earth, is Geophysics. In that sense, meteorology is a branch of geophysics, which aims at studying thoroughly the atmosphere and its phenomena.
The conditions that exist in the atmosphere relating to temperature, precipitation (rain, snow, hail) , and other features, which occur in a certain place over a long period is known as local climate.
Studying the phenomena occurring in the atmosphere and forecasting the weather is part of what meteorologists do every day. Knowledge on climate variability has always been of utmost importance to the development of agriculture, navigation, military operations and life, in general.
Radiochemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies chemical reactions using techniques based on radioactivity.
Using radioactive isotopes can determine the mechanism of chemical reactions, studying the decay of radioactive reagents, or reaction intermediates.
Some applications
In Medicine
- Radiotherapy uses ionizing radiation for therapeutic purposes. It is based on high doses of radiation to cancerous tumors, destroying or damaging them so they can not grow, spread or multiply.
- Radiology aims at diagnosing disease, using images and data obtained by ionizing and non-ionizing.
In Biochemistry
By isotopic labeling (carbon-14) were determined metabolites many reactions of metabolic pathways.
In Archaeology and Geology
Due to the existence of natural radioactive isotopes in archaeological objects by radioactivity measurements, these can be dated (carbon-14 method).
In Geology, we can find out the age of the rocks through the study of some radioisotopes (potassium-40 0 uranium-235, for example).
Environmental Chemistry
It is of great importance to study the radioisotopes present in the environment (radiation pollution), both natural and artificially produced, and that elevated levels of these affecting both human health and the environment.
Nuclear physics is a branch of physics that studies the properties and behavior of atomic nuclei. Nuclear physics is known mostly by society for the use of nuclear energy in nuclear power plants and the development of nuclear weapons, both nuclear fission and fusion. In a broader context, nuclear and particle physics is defined as the branch of physics that studies the fundamental structure of matter and the interactions between subatomic particles.
Relevant scientists in Nuclear Physics
- Henri Becquerel
- Niels Bohr
- Marie Curie
- Pierre Curie
- Irene Joliot-Curie
- Jean Frédéric Joliot-Curie
- Isidor Isaac Rabi
- Robert Oppenheimer
- Wolfgang Paul
- John von Neumann
- Albert Einstein
- Enrico Fermi
- Ernest Rutherford
Nuclear engineering is the practical application of atomic nuclei treated by the principles of Chemistry and Nuclear Physics and the interaction between radiation and matter. This field of engineering includes the design, analysis, development, testing, operation and maintenance of the systems and components of nuclear fission, specifically nuclear reactors, power plants producing electricity through nuclear energy transformation and nuclear weapons. This engineering field may also include nuclear safety, licensing facilities, heat and mass transport (thermohydraulics), nuclear fuels technology, nuclear proliferation, nuclear chemistry, radioactive waste management and radioactive environments.
List of universities offering nuclear engineering courses in Spanish:
Argentina
Balseiro Institute, an academic unit of the National University of Cuyo. Nuclear Engineering (major), specialization in technological applications of nuclear engineering (graduate), Master of Engineering with specialization in Nuclear Engineering (graduate) and PhD in nuclear engineering (graduate).
Mexico
- University of the State of Mexico, Master of Nuclear Science.
- National Autonomous University of Mexico, Master's and Ph.D. in Nuclear Power Systems.
- National Autonomous University of Mexico, Masters in nuclear physics.
- National Polytechnic Institute, MS in Nuclear Engineering.
- National Nuclear Research Institute Nuclear Engineering.
