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Teaching Modern Physics - QuarkNet - Fermilab

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Real Radioactive Measurements & The Half-Life of Cesium-137<br />

I. Background<br />

Use the Geiger counter to measure the counts in the room for three one-minute intervals.<br />

Find the average. Use this count for normal background radiation.<br />

II. Rocks<br />

Use the Geiger counter to measure the counts of the radiation for several different rock<br />

samples. For each sample time three one-minute intervals, find the average, and calculate<br />

the net count for that sample by subtracting the background radiation.<br />

Rock Name Average Count Net Count<br />

Which of these rock samples appear to be radioactive?<br />

III. Fiesta Ware<br />

Use the Geiger counter to measure the counts of the radiation for Fiesta Ware. Time three<br />

one-minute intervals, find the average, and calculate the net count.<br />

Fiesta Ware Average Count Net Count<br />

Is the Fiesta Ware more or less radioactive than the rocks? How can you tell?<br />

IV. Cesium-137<br />

We will time a sample of Cesium-137 for twelve minutes. We will record the count for<br />

each one-minute time interval for the twelve minutes, then calculate net count.<br />

65<br />

Average =

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