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 the same size as an atom and makes half-life easy to visualize.
c
Candy is easy to clean up and students will enjoy eating them at the end of the lab.
b. Candy is the same size as an atom and makes half-life easy to visualize.
The answer to the question "Why were candies used for this lab?" is option a: "Candy simulates how atoms radioactively decay and how rocks of different ages have varied amounts of radioactive and decayed elements."
To understand why candies were used in this lab, it's important to know the purpose of the lab. The lab aims to demonstrate concepts related to radioactive decay and the varying amounts of radioactive and decayed elements in rocks of different ages. However, since working with actual atoms and rocks can be challenging and impractical in a lab setting, an alternative was needed to represent these concepts effectively.
Option b, which states that "Candy is the same size as an atom and makes half-life easy to visualize," is incorrect. This option is not applicable to the given information and does not align with the purpose of the lab.
Option c, which suggests that "Candy is easy to clean up and students will enjoy eating them at the end of the lab," is also incorrect. While this may be a potential secondary benefit of using candies, it does not explain why candies were specifically chosen to simulate radioactive decay and the varying amounts of elements in rocks.
Therefore, the correct answer is option a, as candies provide a tangible representation of these scientific concepts in a more accessible and practical way for students.