Morehead State University
Experimental comparison of simulated decay curves using dice and centicubes: Implications for teaching radioactivity and half-life in Kentucky
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Sophomore
Major
Biomedical Sciences
Institution 23-24
Morehead State University
KY House District #
78
KY Senate District #
24
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Wilson Gonzalez-Espada
Department
Department of Physics, Earth Sciences, and Space Systems Engineering
Abstract
Radioactive decay is taught in Kentucky high schools (NGSS HS-PS1-8), where students learn about nuclear properties and radiometric dating. Given that materials and experimental radiation equipment can be expensive, many analogical hands-on radioactive decay experiences have been proposed and described in the literature.
Centicubes have been a common manipulative in elementary and middle school classrooms. Due to their availability, simplicity, and low cost, we propose a novel way to use centicubes to illustrate radioactive decay rates. However, by having unconventional surface features, it is not clear whether centicubes will simulate randomness like dice do.
The study statistically examined the use of centicubes as a simpler, low-cost alternative to dice to teach radioactivity lessons in Kentucky. The researcher implemented a carefully controlled set of 20 trials each modeling radioactive decays with short, medium, and long half-lives with both centicubes and dice. A Chi-square goodness-of-fit test compared their various exponential best-fit curves to empirically demonstrate the extent of their similarity.
The researcher found that for the long half-life trials, while the dice curve was statistically similar to the expected one, the centicube curve was significantly different from both the expected and dice ones. For the medium and short half-life trials, all three curves were statistically similar. It was concluded that if teachers are interested in the decay curves and half-life estimates, then both centicubes and dice will provide them. However, teachers who are interested in accurately representing the randomness aspect of nuclear decay should use only the centicube’s “flats” and “holes” decay modes. During the Spring 2024 semester, this study will be expanded by exploring the role of release height in the decay rates of the centicube "tip" decay mode, and by testing pseudo-centicube objects made with dice and small metallic spheres.
Experimental comparison of simulated decay curves using dice and centicubes: Implications for teaching radioactivity and half-life in Kentucky
Radioactive decay is taught in Kentucky high schools (NGSS HS-PS1-8), where students learn about nuclear properties and radiometric dating. Given that materials and experimental radiation equipment can be expensive, many analogical hands-on radioactive decay experiences have been proposed and described in the literature.
Centicubes have been a common manipulative in elementary and middle school classrooms. Due to their availability, simplicity, and low cost, we propose a novel way to use centicubes to illustrate radioactive decay rates. However, by having unconventional surface features, it is not clear whether centicubes will simulate randomness like dice do.
The study statistically examined the use of centicubes as a simpler, low-cost alternative to dice to teach radioactivity lessons in Kentucky. The researcher implemented a carefully controlled set of 20 trials each modeling radioactive decays with short, medium, and long half-lives with both centicubes and dice. A Chi-square goodness-of-fit test compared their various exponential best-fit curves to empirically demonstrate the extent of their similarity.
The researcher found that for the long half-life trials, while the dice curve was statistically similar to the expected one, the centicube curve was significantly different from both the expected and dice ones. For the medium and short half-life trials, all three curves were statistically similar. It was concluded that if teachers are interested in the decay curves and half-life estimates, then both centicubes and dice will provide them. However, teachers who are interested in accurately representing the randomness aspect of nuclear decay should use only the centicube’s “flats” and “holes” decay modes. During the Spring 2024 semester, this study will be expanded by exploring the role of release height in the decay rates of the centicube "tip" decay mode, and by testing pseudo-centicube objects made with dice and small metallic spheres.