Lecture 3: Nuclear Decay

The Euler Method

After this lecture you should be able to:

	Use the MAX, MIN and FIND functions to apply inequalities to vector data.
	Replace a FOR loop with a FIND operation.
	Implement Monte Carlo simulation to determine area and volume of shapes.
	Use the symbolic maths toolbox [if available] to integrate, differentiate simple expressions and differential equations using the INT, DIFF, PRETTY commands.
	Solve numerically and symbolically [if available] the nuclear time decay of Uranium and other radioactive materials.

Please find the course materials for Lecture 3 here:

Decay.m example Matlab script to simulate nuclear decay.

Assignment 2 [October 18, 2011 0930-1130]

Solve problem 1.4 from the class text. Show your results in the form of a graph with N_A=1000, N_B=0, tau_A=1, tau_B=0.5. Use labels on your graphs.

Assignment 2 [October 6, 2009 0930-1130]

Solve problem 1.5 from the class text. Show your results in the form of a graph with N_A=1000, N_B=0, tau=1.

Assignment 2 [October 7, 2008 0930-1130]

Solve problem 1.6 from the class text. Show your results in the form of a graph. Assume N is large.

The 'best' solutions submitted for this exercise was provided by Konstantin Borschiov.

Assignment 3 [2007]

Solve exercise 1.3 from the course text. Provide a graphical solution for a parachutist who jumps from 2000m. Solve for velocity as a function of time and for position using the Euler method. Submit your m file by email to the class account by the end of the class.

The 'best' solutions submitted for this exercise were provided by Brandon Robinson and Danut Tabacaru.

Example Assignment [2006]

Exercise 1.1 from the course text. The 'best' solution this assignment provided by M. Hughes.