Explore Radioactive Decay with Coins

Explore the science of radioactive decay with a safe hands-on family STEM activity.

As radioactive materials decay, or break down, they emit radiation that may be harmful. Unfortunately, the amount of time it takes for a radioactive material to decay varies. Scientists talk about the rate of decay in terms of the material's "half-life." Some materials have a very short half-life and others have a very long half-life.

In this week's family science activity, students can simulate the process of radioactive decay and explore the math behind the process to better understand why some radioactive materials stick around for a very long time.

The following Science Buddies activity on the Scientific American website has all the information you need to do this fun activity with your students at home: Half-Life Coins.

To view a related independent student project at Science Buddies, see:

• How Old Is That Rock? Roll the Dice & Use Radiometric Dating to Find Out

You Might Also Enjoy These Related Posts:

• Halloween STEM Ideas
• Earthquake Safety and Science Activities
• 5 Fizzing, Foaming, and Bubbling Science Projects!
• Simple Science Activities with Cardboard Tubes
• 5 STEM Activities with Marshmallow Peeps
• 6 Steps to Success with the Fluor Engineering Challenge
• 10 Fun Wintry Science Activities
• Make some noise with three new science activities!