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Strategy to Computationally Model and Resolve Radioactive Decay Chain in Engineering Education by Using the Runge-Kutta Numerical Method

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XXVII Brazilian Congress on Biomedical Engineering (CBEB 2020)

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Abstract

The objective of the present work is to offer an educational strategy targeting biomedical engineering/physics students focusing on the calculation of isotope concentrations and activities in radioactive decay chains, which is capable of demonstrating the behavior of these isotopes over time, by using an iterative process and basic mathematical operations. The computational modeling of the radioactive decay problem by solving ordinary differential equation systems using the Runge-Kutta Fourth Order numerical method is treated. The adopted physical and mathematical models are shown, as well as their computational routine.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001.

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Correspondence to F. T. C. S. Balbina .

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Balbina, F.T.C.S., Moraes, F.J.H., Munin, E., Alves, L.P. (2022). Strategy to Computationally Model and Resolve Radioactive Decay Chain in Engineering Education by Using the Runge-Kutta Numerical Method. In: Bastos-Filho, T.F., de Oliveira Caldeira, E.M., Frizera-Neto, A. (eds) XXVII Brazilian Congress on Biomedical Engineering. CBEB 2020. IFMBE Proceedings, vol 83. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70601-2_339

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70601-2_339

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-70600-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-70601-2

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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