Some problems, principles, and projects on the detection and identification of radioactive particles and short wavelength radiant energy

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study: The library was searched for information about the problems and principles involved in the detection and identification of short wavelength radiant energy and of radioactive particles. Projects for high school use were chosen for safety and reasonable cost.

Findings and Conclusions: The problems of detection and identification of short wavelength radiant energy and of radioactive particles arise because the photons and particles are invisible. Some effect caused by interaction of a photon or particle with matter must be used to detect the photon or particle. Identification is done by comparison of the effect with effects caused by known photons and particles.

The effects used are ionization, excitation followed by radiation of visible photons and temperature changes. Some of the instruments using these effects are photographic plates, thermopiles, bolometers, ionization chambers, proportional counters, Geiger counters, cloud chambers, and electroscopes.

The projects recommended for high school are those which are safe because they involve low activities and those which are reasonable in cost. These include use of photographic methods, construction and use of cloud chambers, construction and use of Geiger counters, and construction and use of electroscopes.