William P. Gammel edited In_order_to_determine_the__.tex  over 8 years ago

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In order The () used a sample of Cesium-137  to determine the age of two a sample of  Cesium-137 samples, with unknown age. Since our program had previously been calibrated,  we kept the same settings used from our calibration results and performed the experiment on the  two different Cesium-137 samples, one at a time. We had to do one The data for the spectral distributions were collected separately since the number of gamma rays observed  at a time because if we did both samples together, their intensity would just add, and there would various energies should  be no way to tell which different depending on the age of the sample. Specifically, we expect an older  sample produced what intensity. to be less active, so the number of gamma rays for () should be smaller.  Both samples were  placed on the slot second $2 \textrm{cm}$ away  from thetop in the  scintillator. Sample one (the The  younger sample) sample, $S_{1}$  started out with $5 \mu \textrm{Curies}$ and had a published date of activation. We were able was known  to find out that sample one is be  211 months (17.583 years) old because we know the half life of Cesium-137, 30.2 years. old.   \ar  Both samples were measured for the same amount of time in order to get the best comparison of data. Had If  one sample had  been measured observed  for a longer period of time, time than the other, it is possible that  the intensity number of gamma rays ()  would have increased and increased, thus () our prediction of  the final results would be incorrect. After taking age of  the spectrum data for both samples, it was sample. It is  clear that one spectra was younger (sample one) because the whole spectra had higher intensity values than than from  the older sample (sample two). This happens because graph of  the younger sample has more radioactive material to create gamma rays, spectral distribution for $S_{1}$  and $S_{2}$, shown in Figure (), that  the younger it is, the more Cesium-137 there second sample  is to produce significant older, since the number of  gamma rays. Also, sample two started out with only $1 \mu \textrm{Curie}$, so there would have been less rays observed () is significantly smaller than the number of  gamma rays in general. observed for ().  Figure \ref{fig:Sample_one_Peak} shows the younger sample in blue (much higher intensity) and Figure \ref{fig:Sample_Two_Peak} the older sample in orange.From this graph, it is clear that the samples are very different in age, but sample one is has a higher intensity because it started out with more Cesium-137.