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Low Tech Half Life Simulation (3)

The document outlines a lab activity for simulating radioactive decay using 100 coins to represent atoms. Participants will flip the coins to observe the decay process over time, recording results and creating graphs to analyze the data. The lab encourages reflection on the randomness of decay and its comparison to actual radioactive processes.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
2 views3 pages

Low Tech Half Life Simulation (3)

The document outlines a lab activity for simulating radioactive decay using 100 coins to represent atoms. Participants will flip the coins to observe the decay process over time, recording results and creating graphs to analyze the data. The lab encourages reflection on the randomness of decay and its comparison to actual radioactive processes.

Uploaded by

The Captain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Name______________________

Introduction to General Chemistry, CHM 122 Unit 10


Low Tech Half-Life Simulation Lab
Purpose
To simulate radioactive decay using coins. Using this simulation to
draw some conclusions about radioactive decay.

Theory
Radioactive decay is a random process. Atoms do not decay all at
the same time. In a certain period of time only a certain number of
atoms will decay. In fact, for a small number of atoms, this number is
not fixed, but varies statistically around a mean.

This phenomenon can be modeled with another random process, the


flipping of coins.

Procedure
1. Find 100 coins. It really doesn’t matter what type they are
(pennies, dimes, quarters, etc). Each has to have a definite
head and tail.

2. Put them in a box. Shake the box several times and spill the
coins on a table or other flat surface. Count the number of
heads. These will represent the atoms that have not decayed.
Count the number of tails. These will represent the atoms that
have decayed. Record your results in the Data Table.
Data Table
Shake Time Number Number
number (minutes) of heads of Tails
1 10
2 20
3 30
4 40
5 50
6 60
7 70
3. Lay the tails aside and take the 50 or so remaining heads, put
the coins in the box and shake it up again. Count the heads and
tails again. Lay aside the tails and repeat the process.

4. Continue with the experiment until only 2 heads remain.Make a


graph of your data on graph paper or an EXCEL spread sheet if
you know how to do that. Assume that each shake takes exactly
10 minutes (this is the half life). Plot time on the “x” horizontal
axis and number of heads (atoms remaining) on the “y” vertical
axis. Label the axis and give the graph a title. If you did and
EXCEL spreadsheet, attach it as an attachment to the report. If
you did a manual graph, either scan it or take a picture of it with
your cell phone or digital camera, convert it to a jpg file and
attach it. Make sure you put your name on the graph.

5. Using your graph, determine how long in minutes it will take to


reduce the number of heads to 12. How many half lives is this?

6. Recombine all 100 coins again. Repeat the experiment until only
12 or fewer heads remain. How long did this take? (How many
shakes? How many minutes?) Does this agree with your
prediction in question 6?

7. Use the graph to predict how many heads will remain after 4
shakes (40 minutes). Write your prediction here:

8. Combine the coins again and perform 4 shakes (40 minutes).


How many heads remain? How does this agree with your
prediction in part 8?
9. How well do you think this exercise simulates actual radioactive
decay?

10. Einstein once said, “God does not play dice with the universe.”
What do you think?

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