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This is a lesson I used myself to teach the Radioactive Decay concept of the Nuclear physics Unit - A level Physics, AQA specification.

Learning objective: To understand radioactive decay as a random, exponential process, apply decay equations and half-life relationships to solve problems, and evaluate the safe and effective use of radioactive isotopes in real-world contexts such as medical diagnosis and carbon dating.

By the end of the lesson learners should be able to:

Success criteria:

SC1: Use and rearrange decay equations such as
𝑁=𝑁𝑜 𝑒^(−𝜆𝑡), 𝐴 = ∆𝑁/∆𝑡=−𝜆𝑁, T1/2 = (ln⁡(2))/𝜆

SC2: Analyse count-rate graphs and ln(N) vs time graphs to determine decay constants and validate exponential decay behaviour.

SC3: Explain how short and long half-lives affect isotope suitability for different uses (e.g. Technetium-99 vs Carbon-14), and assess risks based on the type of radiation emitted (alpha, beta, gamma).

Contains past paper questions that target this topic, some questions require knowledge from prior lessons. The mark scheme is also included to verify answers.

Powerpoint contains 9 slides and 5 past paper questions.