Matter lesson 10

Decay Chains & half-life experiment

OUTCOME

By the end of the lesson you will gather and analyses data for a decay reaction to identify the half-life of Barium 137

The half-life of a radioactive isotope is found experimentally by observing the time it takes for the activity of the sample to drop by

half.

LEARNING TASKS

Explore

Elaborate and evaluate

Consolidate

Answer all the discussion question for the practical activity

Preparation for next lesson

p.110-113

We will be determining the half -life of Barium- 137 using the JeffersonLab Radioactive half life experiment. You will collect data from a videoed experiment and then determining the half life.

1. Write out the decay equation for caesium 137 by beta decay

2. What does metastable mean?

3. What is isomeric transition?

4. What are the two measuring instruments being used and what are their advantages and disadvantages?

Experiment: Half-life experiment