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ABSTRACT

The experiment was conducted to calculate the mean halftime of the half-life decays
of substance Ba-137 that has been eluted by the isotope generator Cs-137, through the
half-life exponential graph. The graph is obtained by plotting the data recorded by the
Geiger-detector. This experiment is conducted in two parts, which part one is to measure the
activity of the isotope generator as function of time immediately after elution and part two is
to measure the activity of freshly eluted solution of Ba-137m as function of time.

The results measured in part one showed that the half-life decay for Ba-137, when
plotted in the exponential graph, reveal a steady increasing pattern quite similar to the
hypothetical graph. Meanwhile in the 2ns part, the graph of logarithmic plot of the counting
rate of Ba-137m’s decay, counting rate as a function of time show a steady decrease, also
similar to the hypothetical graph.

INTRODUCTION

Objectives

1. To determine the counting rate as a function of the counter tube voltage when the
isotope generator activity is constant.
2. To investigate the activity of the isotope generator as a function of time immediately
after elution.
3. To measure the activity of a freshly eluted solution of Ba-137 m as a function of time.

Background

Radioactive decay, or nuclear decay, is a process whereby an unstable atom losses


energy by the emission of ionization radiation. Radioactive decay is a random process at the
level of single atoms and according to quantum theory, it is impossible to predict when a
particular atom will decay. For large number of atoms, the decay can be estimated
statistically by the particular instability of the radioisotope through the collection and
measurement of their decay constant, based on each own particle. There are several types of
radioactive decays which are the alpha-decay, beta-decay, gamma-decay, positron-emission
and electron capture.

Alpha-decay occurs when the parent substance changes into the daughter substance
by losing two neutrons and two protons. Meanwhile, beta-decay occurs when the parent
substance adds one proton, becoming the daughter substance. Gamma-decay however, occurs
when the parent substance produces a high energy gamma ray radiation when it falls to
another energy level. This decay does not disturb the neutron or proton number of the
substance.

Half-life of a radioactive substance is a characteristic constant. It measures the time it


takes for a given amount of the substance to become reduced by half as a consequence of

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decay, and therefore, the emission of radiation. Half-life is used to date the age of organic
objects in a process known as carbon dating. During beta decay, carbon 14 becomes nitrogen
14. At the time of death organisms stop producing carbon 14. Since half-life is a constant, the
ratio of carbon 14 to nitrogen 14 provides a measurement of the age of a sample.

Half-lives are characteristic properties of the various unstable atomic nuclei and the
particular way in which they decay. Alpha and beta decay are generally slower processes than
gamma decay. Half-lives for beta decay range upward from one-hundredth of a second and,
for alpha decay, upward from about one one-millionth of a second. Half-lives for gamma
decay may be too short to measure.

Radioactivity can be measured in order to discover the amount of radiation a material


emits or the amount of radiation absorbed by a human or mammal. The unit for measuring
radioactive emissions is the becquerel (Bq). The Bq indicates the number of decays per
second.

As the decay of a substance is a discrete event of nuclear process with a large number of
events, the result of the decay probability can be written as:

The equation is integrated and become:

N is the number of atoms that has not yet decayed, τ is the mean lifetime of the substance.
N o is the original amount of the substance, and λ is the decay constant of the substance.

To find the decay constant and the half-life of the substance without knowing the original
amount and final amount of the substance, the following equation is used:

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The term λ is the decay constant of the graph, and τ is the mean lifetime of the substance.

APPARATUS

Cobra3 BASIC-UNIT

Power supply

RS232 data cable

Cobra3 Radioactivity Software

Counter tube module

Unit-construction plate for radioactivity

Counter tube holder

Plate holder

Source holder

Counter tube

Screen cable

Test tube, d = 12mm, l = 100 mm

Rubber stopper 14.4/20 without hole

Isotope generator Cs-137/Ba, 400 kBq

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PC, Windows® 95 or higher

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Figure 1

1. The experiment was set up carefully according to the figure 1 above.

Task 1: To determine the counting rate as a function of the counter tube voltage when the
isotope generator activity is constant.

1. The test tube is detached from the source holder and the source holder is placed
further than the counter tube.

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2. The ‘measure’ program was selected and the module was set to ‘radioactivity’.
3. The parameters for measuring the background radiation is as the figure 2 below:

Figure 2: Parameter settings for measuring the background radiation

4. After the parameters are set up, the ‘measure value’ button is clicked at the
Background radiation section.
5. Wait until the program finishes measuring and the value shown on the ‘current value’
space at the Background radiation section is taken.

Task 2: To investigate the activity of the isotope generator as a function of time immediately
after elution

1. An empty test tube was put on the source holder.


2. It was placed as near as possible to the counter tube.
3. The parameters for measuring the impulse of the decay of Ba-137 was set as figure 3
below:

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Figure 3: Parameter settings for measuring the decaying Ba-137m

4. The ‘Subtract background radiation’ box is ticked before the experiment started.
5. The elution of Ba-137 was done by filling a syringe with 2ml of solution.
6. The syringe was screwed on the isotope generator Cs-137.
7. The syringe and isotope generator were placed above the empty test tube
8. The latch underneath the isotope generator was opened.
9. 5 drops of the solution were dripped into the test tube from the syringe through the
isotope generator.
10. The test tube was closed by a rubber stopper and the position of the test tube was
quickly adjusted in order for the counter to detect the solution.
11. The ‘Continue button’ was clicked after the test tube was adjusted.
12. The experiment was being let to run for several minutes before the timer was stopped.
13. The resulting impulses were taken.

MEASUREMENT RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Task 1: Measurement of the activity of the isotope generator as function of time immediately
after elution (formation of Ba-137m)
The background radiation 0.4873 #/s
Table 1: Impulse of the formation of Ba-137 and ln(|A-504.28|) respect to time

Time, t (s) Impulses, A (#/s) ln (|A-504.28)


10.0 438.14 4.1917
20.0 446.14 4.0628
30.1 438.44 4.1872
40.1 452.54 3.9462
50.2 453.04 3.9365
60.2 452.44 3.9481
70.2 440.14 4.1610
80.2 450.44 3.9860
90.3 457.24 3.8509
100.3 460.54 3.7782
110.3 464.04 3.6948
120.4 460.54 3.7782

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130.4 468.14 3.5874
140.4 453.04 3.9365
150.5 468.74 3.5706
160.5 456.04 3.8761
170.5 466.14 3.6412
180.6 464.54 3.6823
190.6 464.14 3.6923
200.6 478.24 3.2596
210.7 472.04 3.4732
220.7 475.04 3.3755
230.7 470.14 3.5304
240.8 483.54 3.0320
250.8 475.14 3.3721
260.8 478.34 3.2557
270.8 484.44 2.9877
280.9 479.34 3.2164
290.9 495.44 2.1792
300.9 483.74 3.0223
311.0 498.04 1.8309
321.0 499.14 1.6370
331.1 490.14 2.6490
341.1 482.24 3.0928
351.2 485.54 2.9306
361.2 495.14 2.2126
371.2 492.54 2.4630
381.3 487.04 2.8470
391.3 497.14 1.9657
401.4 497.14 1.9657
411.4 506.25 0.6780
421.5 498.14 1.8148
431.5 496.54 2.0464
441.5 491.14 2.5756
451.6 502.44 0.6097
461.6 495.04 2.2223
471.7 499.99 1.4562
481.7 509.34 1.6213
491.8 492.44 2.4714
501.8 509.04 1.5602
511.9 503.14 0.1310
521.9 498.24 1.7984
531.9 502.24 0.7129
542.0 507.35 1.1216
552.0 518.44 2.6504
562.1 506.24 0.6729
572.1 505.74 0.3784
582.1 501.04 1.1755

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592.2 513.69 2.2417
602.2 512.94 2.1587
612.3 502.14 0.7608
622.3 505.74 0.3784
632.4 505.94 0.5068
642.4 518.24 2.6360
652.5 503.74 -0.6161
662.5 515.64 2.4300
672.5 517.64 2.5922
682.6 515.94 2.4561
692.6 498.40 1.7715
702.7 517.64 2.5922

Graph 1: Impulse of formation of Ba-137m against time

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Graph 2: ln(|A-504.28|) against time

Calculation
From the graph of logarithmic, the slope of the graph is:
m = − 0.0046

m= −λ

λ = 0.0046

Where λ is decay constant

To calculate the half-life of Ba-137 we used the following formula:


ln2
λ= τ
ln2
τ= λ
ln2
τ= 0.0046

τ = 150.68s

Theoretical half-life is ​𝜏 𝑡​ℎ​𝑒𝑜​ = 142.33s


The percentage of the result is
| Experimental value−theoretical value|
Percentage error = theoretical value
x 100%
|150.68 – 142.33s|
Percentage error = 142.33s
x 100%

Percentage error = 5.9%

Task 2: To measure the activity of freshly eluted solution of Ba-137m as function of time

Table 2: Measuring the activity of the isotope generator as a function of time immediately
after elution

Time, t (s) Impulses, A (#/s) Ln (A), (ln(#/s))


10.0 21.61 3.07
20.0 21.31 3.06
30.1 22.41 3.11
40.1 20.51 3.02
50.1 19.31 2.96
60.2 18.21 2.90
70.2 18.81 2.93

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80.2 16.01 2.77
90.3 17.61 2.87
100.3 14.61 2.68
110.4 14.21 2.65
120.4 13.71 2.62
130.4 11.91 2.47
140.5 11.81 2.47
150.5 11.51 2.44
160.5 11.81 2.47
170.6 9.61 2.26
180.6 10.11 2.31
190.6 11.01 2.40
200.7 8.91 2.18
210.7 8.31 2.12
220.8 8.61 2.15
230.8 7.61 2.03
241.0 7.01 1.94
251.0 5.91 1.77
261.1 8.01 2.08
271.1 6.41 1.86
281.1 5.61 1.72
291.2 6.11 1.81
301.2 5.41 1.68
311.3 5.01 1.61
321.3 6.41 1.86
331.4 3.91 1.36
341.4 5.41 1.69
351.5 5.81 1.76
361.5 5.41 1.69
371.5 4.01 1.39
381.6 3.71 1.31
391.6 4.41 1.48
401.7 4.01 1.39
411.7 3.71 1.31
421.8 3.01 1.10
431.8 3.81 1.33
441.9 4.31 1.46
451.9 4.01 1.39
461.9 2.71 0.99
47.0 2.91 1.07
482.0 2.61 0.96
492.1 2.81 1.03
502.1 2.21 0.79
512.2 3.41 1.22
522.2 1.41 0.34
532.2 1.51 0.41

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542.3 3.01 1.10
552.3 1.11 0.10
562.4 2.01 0.69
572.4 1.91 0.64
582.5 1.21 0.19
592.5 1.11 0.64
602.6 2.01 0.69
612.6 1.91 0.64
622.6 1.21 0.19
632.7 1.71 0.53
642.7 1.11 0.10
652.8 1.01 0.01
662.8 1.01 0.01
672.8 0.91 0.01
682.9 1.51 0.41
692.9 1.21 0.19
703.0 1.31 0.27

Graph 3: Impulse of decay Ba-137m against time

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Graph 4: ln(A) against time

Calculation
from the graph of logarithmic, the slope of the graph is:
m = − 0.0044

m= −λ

λ = 0.0048

Where λ is decay constant

To calculate the half-life of Ba-137 we used the following formula:


ln2
λ= τ
ln2
τ= λ
ln2
τ= 0.0044

τ = 157.53s

The theoretical half-life is ​𝜏𝑡​ℎ​𝑒𝑜​ = 153.69s


The percentage error of the result is
| Experimental value−theoretical value|
Percentage error = theoretical value
x 100%
|157.53 – 153.69s|
Percentage error = 153.69s
x 100%

Percentage error = 2.5%

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Discussion
The background radiation that we get by using the counter tube is 0.4873 #/s. To
detect accurately the radiation, it is important for the counter to only detect the radiation of
the subject not the radiation of the area.
From the result of task 1 that tabulated in table 1, we can see that the impulse or
counting rate is increasing over time. This shows the formation of Ba-137m. The data
obtained in the experiment task is used to form semi-logarithmic graph to calculate the
half-life of Ba-137m. The half-life for this measurement is τ = 150.68s with 5.9% error.

From the result of task 2 that tabulated in table 2, we can see that the impulse or the
counting rate is decreasing exponentially over the time. This show that radioactive decay
exponentially which means it reduce to half from its initial values. The data obtained is used
to form semi-logarithmic graph to calculate its half-life. The half-life that we get from the
experiment is τ = 157.53s with 2.5% error.

The error that might occurred during the experiment is the placement of the subject
with the detector. The system might not read the impulse of the subject accurately due to the
distance and the placement of the subject. Furthermore, another cause of error that might
have contributed to the percentage error is, the delay of time to put the subject to the counter
tube once the Ba-137 was eluted from the isotope generator.
To overcome the error, the subject must be place not too far from the counter tube and
place directly in front of it. Then, the eluted solution should directly put in to the test tube that
was placed at the source holder to decrease the time delay.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, in part one we can safely say that the impulse or counting rate, which
shows the formation of Ba-137, is increasing over time. However, from the exponential graph
2, it shows a decrease pattern. The percentage error is 5.9%, which is in an acceptable range.
Furthermore, in part two of the experiment, the activity of a freshly eluted solution of Ba-137
m as a function of time, decreasing when we observe table 2. The graph meanwhile shows
that the counting rate is decreasing exponentially over the time. The percentage error of 2.5%
indicates that the result is not perfect but is in an acceptable region. Finally, all the objectives
of this experiment were met.

REFERENCE

Raymond A. Serway ,& John W. jewett, J. (2010), physic for scientist and engineer (8th
ed).), Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.

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