Module 4 Honors Radioactive Decay Lab
Instructions: Complete each section of this report and answer all questions in complete sentences for full credit. Use the lab grading rubric before you begin. 
Click here to watch the lab completion video. We show the entire lab simulation (so you can record the data; don’t need to be logged into the course) and explain the conclusion/post lab
Procedure

Data

Sample Data				Trial 1				Trial 2			
Time (Seconds)	Radioactive Atoms Remaining	Atoms Decayed		Time (Seconds)	Radioactive Atoms Remaining	Atoms Decayed		Time (Seconds)	Radioactive Atoms Remaining	Atoms Decayed	
0	200	0		0	200	0		0	200	0	
3	180	20		3				3			
6	135	45		6				6			
9	59	76		9				9			
12	52	7		12				12			
15	40	12		15				15			
18	25	15		18				18			
21	12	3		21				21			
24	6	6		24				24			
27	4	2		27				27			
30	1	3		30				30			

 Calculations

Average Atoms Remaining
SAMPLE	
	
Time (Seconds)	
Radioactive Atoms Remaining
(trial 1 + trial 2) / 2	
0	
200
= (200 + 200) / 2	
3	
175
= (180 + 170) / 2	
6	
125
= (135 + 115) / 2	
9	
59
= (63 + 55) / 2	
12	
52
= (56 + 48) / 2	
15	
40
= (48 + 32) / 2	
18	
25
= (23 + 27) / 2	
21	
13
= (12 + 8) / 2	
24	
10
= (12 + 8) / 2	
27	
4
 = (5 + 3) / 2 	
30	
1
= (1 + 1) / 2	
	
Average Atoms Remaining
Your data/Calculations	
	
Time (Seconds)	
Radioactive Atoms Remaining
(trial 1 + trial 2) / 2	
0	
200
= (200 + 200) / 2	
3	
answer
= (trial 1 + trial 2) / 2 
	
6	
 	
9	
 	
12	
 	
15	
 	
18	
 	
21	
 	
24	
	
27	
	
30	

 Graph your calculations data “Average Atoms Remaining”
You must create your own graph.  You can hand draw or use an online program. If you wish, you can use our example graph in Google Sheets.  Enter your data, save your graph, and insert it here. 
Delete the “Sample Graph” and Insert Your Graph below:

Conclusion: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1.	After how many time intervals (shakes) did one-half of your atoms (candies) decay? (Hint: how many intervals until you had roughly 100 candies decay?)
Answer:   

2.	What is the half-life of your substance? (Hint: This is the time that it took for approximately ½ of your “atoms” to decay)
Answer: 

3.	If the half-life model decayed perfectly, how many atoms would be remaining (not decayed) after 12 seconds? 
Answer: 

4.	If you increased the initial number of atoms (candies) to 300, would the overall shape of the graph be altered? Explain your answer.
Answer: 

5.	 Compare how well this activity modeled the half-life of a radioactive element. Did the activity model half-life better over the first 12 seconds (four decays) or during the last 12 seconds of the experiment? If you see any difference in the effectiveness of this half-life model over time, what do you think is the reason for it?
Answer: