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Hi Tim!

I will email you (and any others that may want it), a quick experiment where
you examine the half-life of a radioactive element, like carbon-14, by
determining the half-life of an M&M "atom" -- to really hit home the idea
though, graphing the results makes this activity more robust, but probably
less "crowd-friendly".

Another way to illustrate a predictable pattern of decay is by using
licorice. Simply give each student a string of licorice and have them cut it
in half.  Have the students eat one half of the licorice.  Continue to cut
the licorice in half and eat one half until you can no longer cut the
licorice in half.  This is a good visual of a half-life and helps students
to visualize that the number of atoms that decay is always half of the
number of existing atoms left.

Enjoy the yummy experimenting,

Natalia Riley
Educator
Edmonton, Alberta

-- 
Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.
William Butler Yeats


on 2/18/05 10:03 AM, Tim Pula at [log in to unmask] wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> Does anyone know of a hands on activity used to illustrate how carbon 14
> dating works? Most of your lab visitors are from grade 4-12.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> 
> 
> Educating, ecouraging, and enlightening...
> 
> Tim Pula
> 
> Science Coordinator
> 
> Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center
> 
> Office (251) 208-6858
> 
> Lab (251) 208-6859
> 
> 
> 
> Experience new experiments each month in the Ciba Lab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
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