We conducted a lab where we tossed pennies to simulate radioactive decay. If you had heads you sat down but if you had tails you stayed standing.

Question

anonymous · Answer

what are answers to the following questions?
1. What assumption about coin tosses must you rely upon in order for the classroom simulation to work? Explain.
2. Measurable radioactive samples can take many years to approach 100% decay. Explain two reasons why the experiment only took a couple minutes.
3. Why might the data not perfectly represent a function of radioactive decay? Explain why there might me inconsistencies.

anonymous · Answer

I'm sure 1 and 2 have to do with randomness and large particle numbers.

anonymous · Answer

Sorry?

anonymous · Answer

For 1, I thought that maybe it had to do with the fact that theres a 50-50 chance of flipping head/tails

anonymous · Answer

but i dont know how to explain why

anonymous · Answer

The coin flipping is to simulate the random event. In actuality the probability of any one atom decaying isn't exactly known and it's likely not 50:50.