Sample interview questions: How would you design an experiment to study the decay of a radioactive isotope?
Sample answer:
Experimental Design for Studying Radioactive Isotope Decay
Materials:
- Radioactive isotope sample
- Radiation detector (e.g., Geiger counter, scintillation counter)
- Data acquisition system (e.g., computer, data logger)
- Shielding materials (e.g., lead blocks)
Procedure:
1. Preparation:
- Obtain the radioactive isotope sample and determine its specific activity (i.e., the number of decays per unit time).
- Set up the radiation detector and data acquisition system in a shielded environment to minimize background radiation.
- Calibrate the detector using a known radioactive source of similar energy.
2. Data Collection:
- Place the isotope sample at a fixed distance from the detector.
- Start the data acquisition system and record the number of counts detected over time.
- Repeat the measurements for different sample sizes and distances from the detector.
3. Data Analysis:
- Plot the decay curve, which represents the number of counts versus time.
- Use statistical analysis to determine the half-life of the isotope, which is the time required for the number of undecayed isotopes to reduce by half.
- Calculate the decay constant, which is relat… Read full answer