Suggested preparation: Introductory physics and calculus.
Optional preparation: High School Physics: Free Course.
About this course
Explore radiation and nuclear-engineering concepts through historical discoveries, radioactive decay, interactions and reactor examples. The recordings provide academic background rather than operational training.
Topics and lesson examples
- 1. Radiation History to the Present — Understanding the Discovery of the Neutron
- 10. Radioactive Decay Continued
- 18. Ion-Nuclear Interactions II — Bremsstrahlung, X-Ray Spectra, Cross Sections
- 26. Chernobyl — How It Happened
- 35. Food Irradiation and Its Safety
Course at a glance
| Provider | MIT |
|---|---|
| Platform | YouTube · MIT OpenCourseWare |
| Access | Free Video |
| Level | Intermediate — WikiFree study-level assessment |
| Language | English |
| Available lessons | 34 |
| Video duration | 31h 38m · self-paced |
| Details checked | 10 October 2026 |
Preparation and study approach
Suggested preparation: Introductory physics and calculus.
Follow the available videos in sequence, pausing to summarize the main argument or reconstruct a worked example. Keep a short list of assumptions, unfamiliar terms and questions to revisit. Additional reading, problem solving and practice will take time beyond the listed video duration.
Using this video classroom
Select a lesson from the list, or search for a topic. Previous and Next move through the sequence. You can mark lessons complete; progress is stored in this browser without a WikiFree account.
Free access and course scope
The public MIT OpenCourseWare videos in this classroom are free to watch. This listing provides the available playlist recordings, which may include selected lectures, recitations, demonstrations or supporting discussions rather than every component of the original campus course. Textbooks, equipment, software licenses, supervised labs, graded assignments and instructor feedback are not supplied by WikiFree. No purchase is required to watch the videos or use the note-based study approach above.
WikiFree independently organizes these resources for self-paced study. Watching does not award an MIT certificate, academic credit or admission to MIT.
Video provider and credit: MIT OpenCourseWare on YouTube. WikiFree titles, descriptions and cover artwork are independently prepared.
Related courses for your next step
- Review a lower-level optionHigh School Physics: Free Course
Focus: Physics models · Motion analysis
Beginner - Compare another approachNuclear Physics Fundamentals: Free Course
Focus: Nuclear-physics concepts · Radioactive decay
Intermediate - Compare another approachElectromagnetic Radiation: Free Physics Course
Focus: Electromagnetic waves · Light interactions
Intermediate
Compare course focus, level and study time
| Course | Level | Focus | Study time |
|---|---|---|---|
| This course — Free MIT Course: Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Fundamentals | Intermediate | 1. Radiation History to the Present — Understanding the Discovery of the Neutron · 10. Radioactive Decay Continued · 18. Ion-Nuclear Interactions II — Bremsstrahlung, X-Ray Spectra, Cross Sections | 31h 38m of video; practice time is additional |
| High School Physics: Free Course | Beginner | Physics models · Motion analysis · Forces and momentum | 7h 39m of video; practice time is additional |
| Nuclear Physics Fundamentals: Free Course | Intermediate | Nuclear-physics concepts · Radioactive decay · Half-life reasoning | 1h 17m of video; practice time is additional |
| Electromagnetic Radiation: Free Physics Course | Intermediate | Electromagnetic waves · Light interactions · Wave comparison | 1h 40m of video; practice time is additional |
Provider: MIT. Videos play from the MIT OpenCourseWare channel on YouTube.
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