Why were candies used for this lab? (Replace the word “candy” with whatever you chose to use)
a
Candy simulates how atoms radioactively decay and how rocks of different ages have varied amounts of radioactive and decayed elements.
b
Candy is easy to clean up and students will enjoy eating them at the end of the lab.
c
Candy is the same size as an atom and makes half-life easy to visualize.
c) Candy is the same size as an atom and makes half-life easy to visualize.
c
Candy is the same size as an atom and makes half-life easy to visualize.
The correct answer is c. Candy is the same size as an atom and makes half-life easy to visualize.
To arrive at this answer, we need to understand the purpose of using candies in the lab. The lab is likely focused on teaching about radioactivity, decay, and half-life. The options provided give different reasons why candies might have been chosen for this lab.
Option a suggests that candies simulate how atoms radioactively decay and how rocks of different ages have varied amounts of radioactive and decayed elements. While this may be true in certain contexts, it is not the main reason why candies are commonly used in labs.
Option b states that candies are easy to clean up and students will enjoy eating them at the end of the lab. While this might be a bonus, it does not explain the main educational reason for using candies in the lab.
Option c explains that candies are the same size as an atom, making it easy to visualize the concept of half-life. This is the most accurate and common reason why candies are used in these types of labs. By using candies, which can be easily divided and observed, students can better understand the concept of radioactive decay and visualize how the amount of remaining radioactive material decreases over time.
Therefore, the correct answer is c: "Candy is the same size as an atom and makes half-life easy to visualize."