A simple experimental setup to produce true random numbers is described. The experiment involves measuring successive times between decays of a radioactive source. We discuss two different ways of comparing these times: one that generates a string of random zeros and ones, and another that produces numbers derivable from the permutation group. It is shown that the methods used in the experiment produce the same results for any random process and can therefore be used as a test for randomness in other physical systems.
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© 1996 American Association of Physics Teachers.
1996
American Association of Physics Teachers
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