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[Nancy-Salpepi]

Things to document:

• Quantum Preference
• Model simplifications:
  • Even though they are atoms, only the nucleus is shown to focus on decay events for the first 2 screens. On the Decay Rate screen, the atoms are represented as solid sphere to ensure better performance.
  • The simulation shows a single representative energy for emitted alpha particles. Real alpha emissions have a narrow distribution of energies centered around a characteristic average value, but the variation is small enough that a fixed value is a useful simplification for learning purposes.
• Complex controls: number spinner + set sample button

Things to still update:

• screenshots
• links
• model simplifications from model.md
• [ ]

[Nancy-Salpepi]

Metadata:

Main Topic:
Nuclear Decay
Quantum Mechanics
Nuclear Physics
Alpha Decay
Half-Life

Keywords:
Nuclear Decay
Quantum Mechanics
Nuclear Physics
Tunneling
Alpha Particle
Alpha Decay
Isotope
Half-LIfe
Exponential Decay
Nucleus

Categories:
Physics
Chemistry
Quantum
High School
University
iPad-Tablet
Chromebook

Design Team
still to-do

Thanks To
still to-do

Description
What happens to a nucleus during alpha decay? Watch alpha particles escape from a nucleus and explore how quantum tunneling makes this possible. Discover what half-life means by observing how a sample of atoms decays over time. See how individual decay events are random, yet large samples follow a predictable exponential pattern.

Learning Goals
Predict how a nucleus changes when it emits an alpha particle.
Explain the concept of a half-life, including the random nature of it. Compare decay for a single atom versus a large sample.
Describe how an alpha particle can escape the nucleus despite a potential-energy barrier.
Predict how much radioactive substance remains after a given time, or how much time has passed based on the amount remaining.

Inclusive Features
Alt input
Pan and Zoom
Interactive highlights