Half-life and radioactive equilibrium

Principle

The half-life of a Ba-137 m daughter substance eluted (washed) out of a Cs-137 isotope generator is measured directly and is also determined from the increase in activity after elution.

Benefits

• Experience the essence of the Nobel Prize: M. Curie, P. Curie and Becquerel (1903)
• Isotope generator produces sufficient radioactive particles 1/2 life law
• Versatile GM counter can be used in many other experiments

Tasks

1. To measure the activity of the isotope generator as a function of time immediately after elution.
2. To measure the activity of a freshly eluted solution of Ba-137 m as a function of time.

Learning objectives

• Parent substance
• Daughter substance
• Rate of decay
• Disintegration or decay constant
• Counting rate
• Half life
• Disintegration product