Investigating radioactive decay using coins Essays

Investigating radioactive decay using coins Essays Investigating radioactive decay using coins Essay Investigating radioactive decay using coins Essay Research question: Does our radioactive modeling with coins illustrate radioactive decay? Hypothesis: I believe that it is possible to illustrate radioactive decay by trying to model it using coins. Radioactive decay is a random process and is not affected by external conditions. This means that there is no way of knowing whether or not a nucleus is going to decay within a certain period of time. However, due to the large numbers of atoms involved we can make some accurate predictions. For example, if we start with a given number of atoms then we can expect a certain number to decay in the next minute. If there were more atoms in the sample, we would expect the number decaying to be larger. As a result the rate of decay of a sample is directly proportional to the number of atoms in the sample. This proportionality means that radioactive decay is an exponential process. As a result, I believe that we can model radioactive decay using coins because by chance we should get half of the coins left each time which is exactly what half-life is. Variables: Independent variable: I am not sure about this one because I dont really think there is an independent variable in this investigation because we arent changing anything other than the number of parent coins every time we throw them. Dependant variable: Similarly, there is no real dependant variable due to the fact that there is no independent variable. Controlled Variables: Despite the fact that we cannot really identify any independent and dependant variables there are several variables that we should control. First of all, the drop height must be kept the same in all experiments and this can be done by using a rule to measure the height each time. Also the type of coins and the surface which the coins hit must be kept the same. Method of experiment: 1. Find a place where there is plenty of area so that the coins can bounce off freely. (Remember the surface must be kept the same). 2. Drop the 32 coins of the one type (lets call them parent coins) on a flat surface. 3. Count and remove all of the parent coins which are head-side up- these have decayed, 4. Replace the head-side up coins with the same number of the other type of coin ( lets call them the daughter coins) you are using. 5. Record the number of parent and daughter coins you have onto a chart and repeat the process until no parent coin is left. Method of Collecting Data: 1. In order to get accurate results do your experiment about three times and then do an average. Data Collection and Processing Data collection: Tables showing the number of parent and daughter coins at each step (Trial 1) Data presentation: Now in order to answer my research question it is vital that we draw a graph because if the graph illustrates an exponential decay curve then it would support my theory that you can in fact model radioactive decay but if it doesnt illustrate an exponential curve then it wouldnt support my theory. Conclusion and Evaluation Conclusion: In essence, the results support my theory that it is possible to model radioactive decay using coins. From the first graph we can clearly see that we have an exponential graph which is what radioactive decay is due to the fact that the rate of decay of a sample is directly proportional to the number of atoms in the sample. The other graph serves to illustrate that as the decay of the radioactive parent nuclei occurs, there is an increase in the stable daughter nuclei. Speaking about errors in this modeling exercise is very hard because this isnt really an experiment. All we are really doing is throwing coins onto a flat surface and looking at the outcome i. e. the number of head-side up parent coins. Systematic errors couldnt have occurred because we arent using any instruments to measure anything. The only random error that could have occurred would be us missing one of the head-side up coins and not removing it when we had to. Evaluation: Again because this isnt an experiment in which we have a definite independent variable and a dependant variable, there are no real weaknesses or limitations that occurred. The only weakness I can think of is that this modeling exercise relies a lot on chance. In other words, it just might have been so that not approximately half of the coins were taken of each time. It would have been a total mess if for example the first few tries only 1 coin is head-side up and then after lets say the 5th try all of them come up as head-side up. That would totally mess all the results and wouldnt support the theory of radioactivity. Other than that I cannot think of any weaknesses. Improvements: Thinking of realistic improvement for this modeling exercise isnt possible because it is a modeling exercise and not an experiment. However, it never hurts to take more trial perhaps- 10 trials and then taking averages. This would give more accurate results but then again because this experiment relies too much on chance, doing 10 trials might make the results even worse. Another improvement can be is to use much more coins, for example a hundred coins. This gives a greater possibility to monitor radioactive decay. I am sorry that I couldnt do all experiments but as you know we- the chemists- also had to do chemistry investigations and therefore we didnt have enough time to do all the experiments.

Emotional Poems for Veterans Day

Emotional Poems for Veterans Day When emotions take over, the poet within you often emerges. These Veterans Day excerpts from poems touch the heart and soul of every patriot. They will send chills down your spine. They bring the horror of war home. If you know a veteran, share these words to let them know their devotion to country is important and appreciated. Veterans Day Poems Stephen Crane War Is Kind Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.Because your father tumbles in the yellow trenches,Raged at his breast, gulped and died,Do not weep.War is kind. Philip Freneau On the Departure of the British From Charleston But fame is theirs - and future daysOn pillard brass shall tell their praise;Shall tell - when cold neglect is dead - These for their country fought and bled. Walt Whitman Leaves of Grass I saw battle-corpses, myriads of them,And the white skeletons of young men - I saw them;I saw the debris and debris of all the dead soldiers of the war;But I saw they were not as was thought;They themselves were fully at rest - they suffer’d not;The living remain’d and suffer’d  - the mother suffer’d,And the wife and the child, and the musing comrade suffer’d,And the armies that remain’d suffer’d. Edgar Guest The Things That Make a Soldier Great Endanger but that humble street whereon his children run,You make a soldier of the man who never bore a gun.What is it through the battle smoke the valiant soldier sees? John McCrae In Flanders Fields In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below. Li Po Nefarious War In the battlefield men grapple each other and die;The horses of the vanquished utter lamentable cries to heaven,While ravens and kites peck at human entrails,Carry them up in their flight, and hang them on the branches of dead trees. Rudyard Kipling Tommy Its Tommy this, and Tommy that,And chuck him out the brute,But its Savior of his Country,When the guns begin to shoot. Siegfried Sassoon Aftermath But the past is just the same - and War’s a bloody game...Have you forgotten yet?...Look down, and swear by the slain of the War that you’ll never forget. Wilfred Owen Anthem for Doomed Youth What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?Only the monstrous anger of the guns.Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattleCan patter out their hasty orisons. Alfred, Lord Tennyson The Charge of the Light Brigade Half a league, half a league,Half a league onward,All in the valley of DeathRode the six hundred.‘Forward, the Light Brigade!Charge for the guns!’ he said:Into the valley of DeathRode the six hundred. Elizabeth Barrett Browning Mother and Poet Dead! One of them shot by the sea in the east,And one of them shot in the west by the sea.Dead! both my boys! When you sit at the feastAnd are wanting a great song for Italy free,Let none look at me! Sophie Jewett Armistice We pray the fickle flag of truceStill float deceitfully and fair;Our eyes must love its sweet abuse;This hour we will not care,Though just beyond to-morrows gate,Arrayed and strong, the battle wait.