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Activity Radioactive Decay

The document outlines a simulation experiment to demonstrate the radioactive decay of a radioisotope with a half-life of one year. It includes instructions for conducting the simulation using paper squares to represent atoms, data collection tables, and analysis of results through graphing. The aim is to understand the decay process and evaluate the effectiveness of the simulation as a model for radioactive decay.

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abhithaangiti
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14 views5 pages

Activity Radioactive Decay

The document outlines a simulation experiment to demonstrate the radioactive decay of a radioisotope with a half-life of one year. It includes instructions for conducting the simulation using paper squares to represent atoms, data collection tables, and analysis of results through graphing. The aim is to understand the decay process and evaluate the effectiveness of the simulation as a model for radioactive decay.

Uploaded by

abhithaangiti
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Simulating radioactive decay

NAME: _______________________________Class :________________

Background Assume that a radioisotope of element X, has a half-life of one year.


Complete Table 1.
Table 1: The radioactive decay of X
Number of radioactive
Number of atoms of X Number of
half-lives present after half-life atoms decayed
decay
0 64 0
1 32 32
This is what
2 will happen
3 in theory
4
5
6
Aim To simulate the practical radioactive decay of a radioisotope.

Materials 64 squares of paper — plain on one side and an X on the other


Brown paper bag or empty container

Method 1. Cut out the 64 squares from the page attached. Each square with an X
represents an atom of an unstable radioisotope, X.
2. Place the squares in the brown paper bag or empty container.
3. Record the starting number in Table 2 below.
4. Each time you empty the bag represents one year of time. Shake the bag
and empty the ‘atoms’ on the desk. If an atom lands X-up it has
radioactively decayed and is now a stable atom. Remove these from the
bag.
5. Record the number of atoms remaining in the table.
6. Return the un-decayed atoms to the bag.
7. Repeat steps 4–6 until all atoms of X have decayed.
8. Total up the class results (starting number is the number of groups
multiplied by 64)
Data collection Table 2: Decay Simulation results

Your results Whole Class results

Number of Number of Number of Number of


Number of Number
radioactive atoms of X radioactive atoms of X
years of years
atoms of X decayed atoms of X decayed

0 64 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Analysis of results Construct two graphs (one for your group and one for the class results) of the
and observations
change in the number of atoms of X left versus time.

Describe the graph. What does it tell you?


Discussion Use your graph to determine how many years it would take for half of the 64
atoms to decay.

How long does it take for the number of un-decayed atoms to change
from 32 to 16?

How long does it take for the number of un-decayed atoms to change
from 16 to eight?

How long does it take for the number of un-decayed atoms to change
from eight to four?

How do your results compare to ‘Table 1: The radioactive decay of X’?

Is your simulation a good model of the radioactive decay of a


radioisotope?

How could the model be altered to be a better representation of the


radioactive decay of an isotope?

Conclusion

1–2 sentences. Must


relate to the aim.
Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ
Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ
Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ
Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ
Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ
Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ
Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ
Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ

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