Half-Life Data Sheet
Name:	 Date:	
Each radioactive (unstable) element has a different half-life. Hypothesize what half-life is:
Complete the half-life demonstration as directed by your teacher.
Calculate the number of radon atoms remaining after each half-life starting with a radon sample of 400
atoms. Write the number of atoms in the "Number of Remaining Radon Atoms" column. Round
decimals to the nearest hundredth (For example: .474 = .47). Plot the number of radioactive atoms on
the graph according to the half-life number.
Half-Life
Number
Number of
Radon Atoms
0
400
1
(3.8 days)

2
(7.6 days)

3
(11.4 days)

4
(15.2 days)

5
(19 days)

6
(22.8)

7
(26.6 days)

8
(30.4 days)

9
(34.2 days)

10
(38 days)

400 	
«	350	
£
g	300 	
<
-5	250 		
g	200 	
-O
I 150	
z
100	
50	
0 1234567 89 10
Half-Life Number
1. Observations:
rnA United States	RadTown Radon Activity Set	EPA402-B-19-054
Environmental Protection
vU #* Agency	https://www.EPA.gov/RadTown/Activity-4-Half-Life-Radon

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2. Conclusions:
3. Why is it useful to know the half-life of radioactive materials?
4. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. How does the half-life of radon and its decay products
cause damage to iung tissue that can lead to iung cancer over the course of a lifetime?
' ^ '
A PnA United States	RadTown Radon Activity Set	EPA 402-B-19-054
Mhril Environmental Protection ,	. .	..	, ,,	„
#*Agency	https://www.EPA.gov/RadTown/Activity-4-Half-Life-Radon

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