Study of Half-Life

Of
Radioactive Materials

Name: V Shreya Kumari

Class: XII B

for the Academic Year

2024-25

North Point Residential school, Ranidanga, Siliguri

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my teacher, Somnath Sir, for giving me the
opportunity to undertake this project. His support in allowing me to explore this topic has
been invaluable. I also extend my thanks to my classmates and family for their continuous
support and motivation. Finally, I am grateful to North Point Residential School for providing
the resources and opportunity to explore this topic. This project would not have been possible
without everyone’s help and encouragement.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Serial No. Title Pg. No.

1 Abstract 4

2 Introduction 5

3 Theory 6

4 Experiment 7

5 Observations and results 8

6 Discussion 9

7 Conclusion 10

8 Bibliography 11

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 ABSTRACT

This project explores the concept of half-life in radioactive materials, focusing on

understanding radioactive decay and its implications. The primary aim is to study how
radioactive substances decay over time and to demonstrate the concept of half-life using a
safe simulation. The method involves a hands-on experiment using coins to simulate the
decay process. Results showed that decay follows an exponential pattern, confirming
theoretical predictions of half-life. This project highlights the importance of half-life in
various applications, including medicine, environmental science, and radiometric dating,
while emphasizing the need for radiation safety

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 INTRODUCTION

Radioactivity is the spontaneous emission of particles or energy from unstable atomic nuclei,
a phenomenon first discovered by Henri Becquerel and later studied by Marie Curie. This
process transforms an unstable element into a more stable form through alpha, beta, or
gamma decay. A key characteristic of radioactive substances is their half-life, which
represents the time required for half of a given sample of radioactive atoms to decay.
Understanding half-life is essential for predicting the rate at which radioactive materials lose
their activity, providing insights into the longevity and behaviour of these substances. Half-
life has critical applications across diverse fields: in medicine, it helps determine dosages and
treatment schedules for radiation therapy; in nuclear energy, it informs waste management
and safety protocols; and in archaeology, it serves as the basis for radiocarbon dating,
allowing scientists to estimate the age of ancient artifacts. This project’s objective is to
illustrate the half-life concept by simulating the decay process, providing a hands-on
understanding of how radioactive materials decrease in quantity over time. Through
observation of decay patterns, this project highlights the predictability and scientific
significance of half-life in nuclear physics and its practical applications

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 THEORY

Background on Radioactive Decay and Half-Life:

Radioactive decay is the spontaneous breakdown of unstable atomic nuclei, releasing energy
in the form of particles or electromagnetic waves. This process continues until a stable
nucleus is achieved. Radioisotopes, like Uranium-238 or Carbon-14, decay at a rate
characterized by their half-life, which is defined as the time it takes for half of a radioactive
sample to decay into another element or a stable isotope-life of a substance varies widely
among radioisotopes—from fractions of a second to billions of years. For instance, the half-
life of Iodine-131 is about 8 days, making it useful in medical applications such as thyroid
cancer treatment. On the other hand, Uranium-238, with a half-life of 4.5 billion years, is
used for geological dating.

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Concept of Half-Life:

The half-life of a radioactive substance is the time it takes for half of its atoms to decay. This
principle is crucial for understanding how quickly radioactive materials lose their activity.
The half-life is related to the decay constant by the formula:

T1/2 = 0.693/λ

The relationship shows that highly radioactive substances decay quickly, while those that
emit weaker radiation last longer.

Radioactive Decay Law:

Radioactivity follows an exponential decay process, where the number of undecayed nuclei
decreases over time according to:

N(t)=N0e-λt

This formula helps predict how a given sample of radioactive material will change over time,
which is useful in applications like radiometric dating and nuclear medicine

Objective: Understand and demonstrate the half-life concept by simulating the decay of
radioactive atoms and observe their decay patterns over time

EXPERIMENT

Materials Used:

 100 coins (to simulate radioactive atoms)

 Timer or stopwatch

 Graph paper or computer software for plotting results

Procedure:

1. Start with 100 coins, representing a set of radioactive atoms.

2. Toss all the coins and remove those that land on heads (indicating decay).

3. Count the remaining "undecayed" coins and record the result.

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4. Repeat the process for multiple rounds, each representing one time interval.

5. Plot the number of remaining coins after each interval to observe the decay pattern.

OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS

Time Interval Number of Atoms Number of Decays

Remaining
0 100 0
1 80 20
2 65 15
3 52 13
4 42 10
5 33 9
6 26 7

The data recorded demonstrates an exponential decay curve, where the number of
atoms decreases approximately by half in each interval.

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 DISCUSSION

The experiment successfully demonstrated the concept of half-life using a safe simulation
model. The decay pattern observed aligns with the exponential decay law, confirming that
radioactive substances decay at a consistent rate over time. This project illustrates the
randomness of individual decay events but the predictability of the overall decay rate for
large samples.

Key Learnings:
1. Decay Pattern: The decay observed in the experiment supports the exponential law
of decay, illustrating how radioactive materials undergo predictable transformations
despite the randomness of individual decay events.

2. Learning Outcomes: Through this project, we grasp the significance of half-life in

practical settings such as:

o Medical Treatments: Half-life knowledge aids in determining the appropriate

intervals for radiation doses.

o Radiometric Dating: Archaeologists estimate the age of artifacts based on the

remaining radioactive isotopes.

o Nuclear Waste Management: Calculating half-lives helps manage long-term

environmental safety concerning radioactive waste.

3. Limitations and Future Scope: While effective as an educational model, the coin
toss simulation lacks the complexity of actual radioactive decay, which includes
various factors like energy levels and decay chains in different isotopes. Further
studies could include computerized simulations that model more realistic decay
events.

Practical Applications and Implications

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 1. Medical Implications: Radioisotopes with short half-lives, such as Iodine-131, are
used to target cancer cells in radiation therapy, with half-life calculations helping
determine safe exposure levels and treatment timing.

2. Environmental Safety: Understanding the decay rate of isotopes in nuclear waste

assists in creating long-term containment plans, reducing radioactive contamination
risks.

3. Archaeological Dating: Radiocarbon dating relies on the predictable half-life of

Carbon-14, allowing for accurate historical dating of organic remains.

CONCLUSION

This project investigates the concept of half-life in radioactive materials, which is the time
required for half of the atoms in a radioactive sample to decay. Understanding half-life is
essential in fields like nuclear physics, medicine, archaeology, and environmental science, as
it allows for predicting the rate at which radioactive substances lose their activity.

The study explores the process of radioactive decay by simulating the behavior of radioactive
atoms in a controlled, safe setting, demonstrating how atoms undergo decay randomly yet
follow predictable statistical patterns over time. Through this simulation, the half-life is
calculated by tracking the decrease in "radioactive atoms" at regular intervals and observing
the reduction by approximately half after each interval.

The experimental results reveal a decay curve consistent with theoretical predictions,
providing insights into the nature of exponential decay. By highlighting both the
predictability and inherent randomness of nuclear decay, this project underscores the
reliability of half-life as a measure of radioactive decay rates. The study also offers a
foundational understanding of radiation safety, emphasizing the importance of half-life in
determining the longevity of radioactive hazards in the environment.

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In conclusion, this project reinforces the concept of half-life as a key principle in nuclear
science, providing a deeper appreciation of both the practical applications and theoretical
underpinnings of radioactive decay.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. https://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/leph205.pdf
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/radioactive-decay
3. https://www.epa.gov/radiation/radioactive-decay
4. https://www.britannica.com/science/half-life-radioactivity
5. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-and-health

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