diy Physics Blog

  • Book
    • Book Contents
    • Adopt the Textbook
    • Back Cover
    • Instructor’s Guide
    • Software
    • Book Errata
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Attenuation of Alpha, Beta and Gamma Radiation in Air

Posted on January 5, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Attenuation of Radiation, CDV700 Pro Geiger-Müller Counter, Chapter 3 - Atoms and Radioactvity, Ionizing Radiation Detection

 Measurement of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation by air as a function of distance

The attenuation of radiation as a function of distance can be measured using a radiation counter with a Geiger-Müller tube that is sensitive to α, β, and γ radiation.  We used exempt plastic-disc sources containing Polonium 210 (210Po), Strontium 90 (90Sr), and Cobalt 60 (60Co) to experiment with the penetrating power of α, β, and γ radiation in air. 

With the setup shown in this picture, we experimented with how radiation counts decay for each of the sources as the distance between the source and the GM tube window is increased between 1cm and 1m.  We selected the sampling distances for each source remembering that α is very short range, β has a range of about 10 cm in air, and γ gets weaker with distance but doesn’t come to a stop at any particular distance. We also assumed that the sources emit equally in all directions, and were able to calculate the effect of air’s density (~1.3 mg/cm3) in attenuating each of the radiation types.

 

Please visit www.prutchi.com and www.diyPhysics.com for other cutting-edge d.i.y. projects, and remember to check out our new d.i.y. Quantum Physics book:

« Color Spectrograph Using Spectrometer of Figure 80
β-Particle Magnetic Deflection Experiment – Supplementary Pictures »

Buy our book at Amazon.com

Navigate diyphysics.com

  • Book
    • Book Contents
    • Adopt the Textbook
    • Back Cover
    • Instructor’s Guide
    • Software
    • Book Errata
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Categories

  • Administrative
  • Book Chapters
    • Chapter 1 – Light as a Wave
    • Chapter 2 – Light as Particles
    • Chapter 3 – Atoms and Radioactvity
    • Chapter 4 – The Priciple of Quantum Physics
    • Chapter 5 – Wave-Particle Duality
    • Chapter 6 – The Uncertainty Principle
    • Chapter 7 – Schrödinger's Wave Equation
    • Chapter 8 – Entanglement
  • Experiments
    • Attenuation of Radiation
    • Bell's Inequality Test
    • Compton Scattering
    • Doppler Effect
    • e/m Measurement
    • Emission Spectrometry
    • Entanglement
    • Glow Discharge
    • Ionizing Radiation Detection
    • Maltese Cross CRT
    • Plasma Physics
    • QKD
    • Quantum Dots
    • Quantum Random Number Generation
    • Quantum Tunneling
    • Radio-Isotope Identification
    • Relativistic Time Dilation
    • Rutherford Alpha-Particle Scattering
    • Single-Electron Experiments
    • Single-Photon Experiments
    • Single-Slit Diffraction
    • Two-Slit Interference
    • β-Particle Magnetic Deflection
  • Instrumentation
    • CDV700 Pro Geiger-Müller Counter
    • Electron-Beam Tube
    • Entangled-Photon Source
    • Gunnplexer Transceiver
    • High-Voltage Power Supply
    • Lasers
    • Mach-Zehnder Interferometer
    • Magneto-Optical Trap
    • Marx Generators
    • MCA/PHA
    • Photomultipliers
    • Photon/Coincidence Counter
    • PMT/Scintillation Processor
    • Polarimetric Imaging
    • Polymeric Radiation Detector
    • Precision Clocks and Timers
      • Atomic Clock
      • GPS-Disciplined
    • Radioisotopes
    • Scintillation Detector
    • Single-Photon Counting Modules (SPCMs)
    • Single-Photon Imaging
    • Spectrometer
    • Thermal Camera
    • Ultraviolet Illuminators
    • Vacuum System
  • Medium Wave Infrared Imaging
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance NMR
  • Physics Humor
  • Theoretical Physics
  • Ultraviolet Imaging
  • Uncategorized

Educational Resources

  • ALPhA Advanced Laboratory Physics Association
  • American Journal of Physics
  • Circuit Cellar
  • Dr. Enrique Galvez' Correlated-Photon Experiments Guide
  • Dr. Mark Beck's Undergraduate QM Experiments
  • The Bell Jar

Blogroll

  • Dorith Prutchi's Professional Website
  • More of our projects at prutchi.com
  • My Blog on Implantable Devices
  • My Infrared-to-UV Photography Site

Pages

  • Book
    • Book Contents
    • Adopt the Textbook
    • Back Cover
    • Instructor’s Guide
    • Software
    • Book Errata
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Archives

  • November 2023
  • September 2023
  • May 2021
  • March 2021
  • July 2019
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • March 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • February 2014
  • December 2013
  • July 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011

Categories

  • Administrative (9)
  • Book Chapters (61)
    • Chapter 1 – Light as a Wave (2)
    • Chapter 2 – Light as Particles (10)
    • Chapter 3 – Atoms and Radioactvity (27)
    • Chapter 4 – The Priciple of Quantum Physics (3)
    • Chapter 5 – Wave-Particle Duality (13)
    • Chapter 6 – The Uncertainty Principle (2)
    • Chapter 7 – Schrödinger's Wave Equation (7)
    • Chapter 8 – Entanglement (18)
  • Experiments (57)
    • Attenuation of Radiation (2)
    • Bell's Inequality Test (8)
    • Compton Scattering (8)
    • Doppler Effect (2)
    • e/m Measurement (3)
    • Emission Spectrometry (2)
    • Entanglement (12)
    • Glow Discharge (1)
    • Ionizing Radiation Detection (18)
    • Maltese Cross CRT (1)
    • Plasma Physics (1)
    • QKD (3)
    • Quantum Dots (1)
    • Quantum Random Number Generation (3)
    • Quantum Tunneling (2)
    • Radio-Isotope Identification (7)
    • Relativistic Time Dilation (1)
    • Rutherford Alpha-Particle Scattering (1)
    • Single-Electron Experiments (1)
    • Single-Photon Experiments (22)
    • Single-Slit Diffraction (1)
    • Two-Slit Interference (4)
    • β-Particle Magnetic Deflection (2)
  • Instrumentation (79)
    • CDV700 Pro Geiger-Müller Counter (7)
    • Electron-Beam Tube (4)
    • Entangled-Photon Source (6)
    • Gunnplexer Transceiver (2)
    • High-Voltage Power Supply (10)
    • Lasers (3)
    • Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (1)
    • Magneto-Optical Trap (1)
    • Marx Generators (3)
    • MCA/PHA (10)
    • Photomultipliers (15)
    • Photon/Coincidence Counter (4)
    • PMT/Scintillation Processor (9)
    • Polarimetric Imaging (4)
    • Polymeric Radiation Detector (1)
    • Precision Clocks and Timers (3)
      • Atomic Clock (2)
      • GPS-Disciplined (1)
    • Radioisotopes (1)
    • Scintillation Detector (14)
    • Single-Photon Counting Modules (SPCMs) (12)
    • Single-Photon Imaging (3)
    • Spectrometer (1)
    • Thermal Camera (1)
    • Ultraviolet Illuminators (3)
    • Vacuum System (2)
  • Medium Wave Infrared Imaging (1)
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance NMR (3)
  • Physics Humor (9)
  • Theoretical Physics (1)
  • Ultraviolet Imaging (1)
  • Uncategorized (28)

WordPress

  • Log in
  • WordPress
© diy Physics Blog