Students will, using a spectroscope and the appropriate formula, determine
the wavelengths of the spectrum of nascent hydrogen (e.g., Balmer series).
Students will, using the Balmer formula for hydrogen, determine the electron
jumps within nascent hydrogen that produce the Balmer series spectrum.
10.2 Statistics and Probability
Students will, using a radiation counter and a relatively "large"
source (e.g., Cs-137 disk), note the nearly constant count rate.
Students will, using a source and a radiation counter (e.g. Geiger-Meuller
tube) to measure gated counts over time, demonstrate that nature of the radioactive
decay process is stochastic (random).
Students will compare the form of experimental counting data to the Poisson
and Gaussian (normal) distributions.
Students will note the graduatal transition of count distribution from Poisson
statistics to Gaussian statistics as the average count rate increases.
10.3 Radioactivity
Students will, using a radiation counter, assess the presence of radioactivity
in common materials (e.g. lantern mantle and smoke detector, etc.)
Students will, using a cloud chamber, demonstrate that nature and types
of radioactive decay.
Students will, using different radioactive sources and types of shielding,
demonstrate that there are differenty types and energies of emitted particles/radiation.
Student will, using a radiation counter, measure the background radiation.
Student will, using a radiation counter, measure the absorption of alpha,
beta, and gamma radiation using air, paper, and alumuinum.
Students will, using a minigenerator "cow" and appropriate eluant
to "milk" the decay product, determine the decay constant and half-life
of a radioactive substance with a short half-life (e.g. Barium 137 or Indium
113).
Students will, using a detector, emitter, and a suitable array of shielding
materials, determine the thickness of the half-value-layer for different shieling
materials such as lead and plastic.
Students will, using a sensor and gammar radiation point source, determine
the rate at which radioactive intensity appears to fall off with respect to
distance.
Student will concentrate naturally occurring radioactive substances using
a charged balloon.
Students will determine the effective lifetime of collected radon decay
products.
10.4 Rads and Rems
Students will, given an appropriate meter, measure the dosage absorbed
by that meter using rads.
Students will, given the nature of the radioactive emission, determing the
quality factor.
Students will, given the dose and quality factor of radioactive emsission,
calculate the rem value of a dose.
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