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Nuclear physics prac ideas
Posted: 07 Sep 2012, 09:21
by nickykinz
Our Year 12 physics class are doing Nuclear energy next term. Any ideas for pracs? We have never done any in the past for this topic but we have a new teacher who was asking for ideas. The only one I could think of was half-life using M&M's!
Re: Nuclear physics prac ideas
Posted: 07 Sep 2012, 09:43
by RosalieM
Well the M&Ms one IS a pretty good prac
It was my first thought too... I think that's the only one we do as well.
Re: Nuclear physics prac ideas
Posted: 07 Sep 2012, 11:11
by linotas
What's the M&M half life prac? Sounds interesting
Re: Nuclear physics prac ideas
Posted: 07 Sep 2012, 11:50
by Graham Kemp
linotas wrote:What's the M&M half life prac? Sounds interesting
Take a cup of radioactive M&Mium. Pour onto a sheet of paper/cloth. Sort and
count the ones that land with M's face up (call them 'radioactive') and the ones which land with blank side face up ('safe'). Put the 'radioactive' M&Ms back into the cup, eat the 'safe' ones.
Repeat at regular intervals.
Plot the number of 'radioactive' M&Ms against sampling interval to determine the half-life of M&Mium.
Re: Nuclear physics prac ideas
Posted: 07 Sep 2012, 11:50
by RosalieM
Start with 100, tip them out, eat the Ms, count how many are left. Repeat and graph results. I think that's about it!
Re: Nuclear physics prac ideas
Posted: 07 Sep 2012, 12:12
by linotas
sounds great!!
Re: Nuclear physics prac ideas
Posted: 07 Sep 2012, 12:50
by smiley
Yes, and it shows that "half-lives" are not linear (necessarily).