Question

Consider the radioactivity experiment, where you will use dice to simulate radioactive decay. Show your analysis where applicable. You must include appropriate explanation and analysis to gain full marks.

What is the probability of a decay event occurring on a particular throw of a 6-sided dice? Explain. Note that the probability of decay is called the decay constant (defined by the Greek symbol lambda, l; which is lower case l). [6 marks] Estimate the half-life of the dice experiment. [6 marks] How many decay events must pass before about 96% of the radioactive dice have “decayed”? [8 marks]

Answer 1

Natural radiactivity or nuclear decay is a radioactive decay process in which at agiven time a certain number of atoms disssintegrate. There are three types of decay

1) alpha decay

2) beta decay

3)gamma decay

THEORY OF RADIOACTIVEDECAY

the rate at which the number of atom decay is proportional to the no of atom present at that time.

DICED USED IN EXPERIMENT

let us assume we have six face dice for our experiment(1/6) for our experiment .it can be stimulate 6 different faces of decay.

if ssix faced dice are used for stimulation and dacey occurs if the face of no 6 is up, then the probabilty from considerations

DECAY CONSTANT,

HALF CYCLE DICE EXPERIMENT

half life (t1/2) is the time required for a quantity to reduce to half its initial value. inspecting the no of undecayed dice in the table tells us that the no halves from 1000 to 500 somewhere between throws 3 and 4. in fact using logarithms tell us that

then

thus n=3.8

so after approx 3.8 throws the no of undecayed dice are halved.