Alpha Decay

Alpha decay occurs when an atomic nucleus releases an alpha particle and transforms into a different type of atomic nucleus. The term half-life is used in nuclear physics to define how long it will take for half the atoms in a quantity of matter to decay.

Alpha Decay is a Java simulation that seeks to help students understand these two concepts. It enables you to run a couple of experiments using Polonium 211, a highly unstable isotope that has a very short half-life.

This particular isotope of Polonium has a very short half-life, around half a second, which means that every 0.5 seconds half the nuclei from a given amount of matter will have decayed into Pb 207.

Since radioactive decay is a matter of chance, you need to observe a large number of atoms in order to get an accurate measurement of an isotope’s half-life. The application also lets you customize the half-life.

The second experiment enables you to see how a single Polonium 211 nucleus undergoes alpha decay. When an alpha particle is released, the atom turns into Pb 207. The alpha particle is identical to the nucleus of Helium, with an atomic weight of 4.

It is possible to customize the nucleus’ total and potential energy in order to modify its half-life. Thus, you can give the atom a half-life ranging from milliseconds to billions of years, as well as make it stable.

If you’re looking to learn more about radioactive decay, this program is a great way to start. It simulates the alpha decay of Polonium 211 atoms and can help you learn the concepts of decay and half-life. It is best suited for teachers, however, as some additional explanations are required to understand everything that is going on.