Demonstrations

Radioactive Decay Model

Code Number :	7D10.41
Disclaimer:	Reprinted by permission of Dick Berg, University of Maryland, for use on this website. The demonstrations contained and referenced herein are listed for the purposes of cataloging and describing physics demonstrations which should be conducted only under the direction of a trained instructional support professional or physicist. These demonstrations are not presented for the purpose of being conducted by persons unconnected to this Facility and/or persons not consulting with or being supervised by the recognized instructional support professional or physicist and his/her staff. The University is responsible only for those demonstrations carried out using its own equipment using established safety and scheduling policies, and bears no responsibility for those choosing to use this source material for their own purposes. All demonstrations described and contained herein are public domain, and can also be found in reference materials in libraries, bookstores, and electronic sources. Further information regarding legal liability in use of demonstrations and labs will be found on the web site Injuries in School/College Laboratories in USA. The University of Iowa Disclaimers: University of Iowa Disclaimer All Rights Reserved..
Condition :	Excellent
Principle :	Radioactive Decay, Half-Life
Area of Study :	Modern Physics
Equipment :	Colored Water, Food Coloring, Beakers, Glass tubes, Tygon tubing and pinch clamp.
Procedure :	The decay tubes are set up as shown. Fill the top tube with colored water. As the top tube drains the bottom tube will fill to an equilibrium point and then slowly drain. This demo should simulate the radioactive decay of a sample through half-life to non-radioactivity. The top tube may be held at the full level by putting a tygon tube and pinch clamp on top.

References

Art Hobson, "Hands-On Simulation", TPT, Vol. 42, # 3, March 2004, p. 132.

Kenneth E. Jesse, "Computer Simulation of Radioactive Decay," TPT Vol. 41, # 9, Dec. 2003, pg. 542.

V. J. Menon and D. C. Agrawal, "Lifetimes of Incandescent Bulbs," TPT, Vol. 41, # 2, p. 100, (Feb 2003).

Christopher G. Deacon, "A Background to Background Radiation," TPT, Vol. 41, # 2, p. 78, (Feb 2003).

Stephen J. Fairman, Joseph A. Johnson, and Thomas A. Walkiewicz, "Fluid Flow with Logger Pro," TPT, Vol. 41, # 6, Sept. 2003, p. 345.

Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr., "Simulated Secular Equilibrium," TPT, Vol. 40, # 1, p. 21, (Jan. 2002).

John S. Garrett, "Modification of the Classic M & M Decay," TPT, Vol. 28, # 9, p. 611, (December 1990).

Frank McGeachy, "Radioactive Decay - An Analog," TPT, Vol. 26, # 1, p. 28, (January 1988).

Ludwik Kowalski, "Simulating Radioactive Decay with Dice", TPT, Vol. 19, # 2, Feb. 1981, p. 113.

John L. Roeder, "Throwing Dice in the Classroom II", TPT, Vol. 18, # 4, Apr. 1980, p. 302.

John L. Roeder, "Throwing Dice in the Classroom", TPT, Vol. 15, # 7, Oct. 1977, p. 428.

James L. Boettler, "Simulated Radioactivity", TPT, Vol. 10, # 7, Oct. 1972, p. 403.

S. Ballou Skinner, "A Simple Experiment to Illustrate Exponential Decay, Half-Life, and Time Constant", TPT, Vol. 9, # 5, May 1971, p. 269.

John F. Yegge, "A Buret Model of Exponential Decay," TPT, Vol. 6, # 1, p. 41, (January 1968).

J. R. Smithson and E. R. Pinkston, "Half-Life of a Water Column as a Laboratory Exercise in Exponential Decay," AJP, Vol. 28, No. 8. p. 740-742, (November 1960).

Francis J. Wunderlich and Mark Peastrel, "Electronic Analog of Radioactive Decay", AJP, Vol.46 (2), Feb. 1978, p. 189.

Nick Fisher, "The Physics of Your Pint: Head of Beer Exhibits Exponential Decay", Physics Education, Vol. 39, (1), Jan. 2004, p. 34

8.03: R.D. Edge, "Radioactive Decay--An Analogy," String and Sticky Tape Experiments.

Mail Questions and Comments to: Dale Stille