Radioactive Halflives
Data Analysis
- Show a plot of the detector counts as a function of the applied high voltage. Include the uncertainty in your count measurements. Indicate at what voltage the GM tube should operate.
- Show a plot of your isotope decay data (don’t include the uncertainty in this plot; it makes the plot very hard to look at). Take the natural logarithm of the counts and use a linear plot.
- Fit the data near the end of the activity measurement and state the measured halflife (and its uncertainty) of the longest-living isotope.
- Fit the data near the beginning of the activity measurement and state the measured halflife (and its uncertainty) of the shortest-living isotope.