Introduction To Nuclear Physics Lab

Contents

• What is Radioactivity?• Radioactivity Decays • Interaction of Ionizing Radiation with matter• Radiation Detectors• Ionizing Radiation safety• Conclusion

Introduction

What is Radiation?

Radiation is energy traveling in the form of particles or

waves in bundles of energy called photons.

TYPES OF RADIATIONS

1)Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation

Radio .

Microwaves .

Infra Red )Heat) .

Visible Light )Color) .

Ultra Violet.

2)Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation X-Rays .

Gamma Rays.

3)Ionizing Atomic Particle Radiation

Beta Rays .

Alpha Rays .

Neutrons

What is Radioactivity?

When the nucleus is unstable

it will decay into a more stable atom.

This radioactive decay is completely spontaneous .

When an unstable nucleus decays, there are three ways that it can do so:

1 )Alpha Particle )α-particle)

2 )Beta Particle )β-particle)

3 )Gamma Ray ) γ-Ray)

Type of Radiation

Alpha particle

Beta Particle

Gamma Ray

symbol αβγ

Mass )a.m.u) 4 1/20000

charge+2 -1 0

Speed Slow Fast Very fast )speed of light)

Ionizing ability

High Medium 0

Penetrating power

Low Medium High

Stopped byPaper Aluminum Lead

A) Alpha Particle Decay:

B) Beta Particle Decay:

C) Gamma Rays:

Interaction of radiation with matter:

1)Alpha particle.

Interaction of radiation with matter:

2)Beta Particles.

Interaction of radiation with matter:

3)Gamma Rays.

• Photoelectric effect

• Compton Scattering

• Pair Production

Measures of Radioactivity

The activity of source is measured in this units:

Becquerel )Bq) Curie )Ci)

1 Bq = 1 disintegration/sec 1 Ci = 37000000000 dps

Radioactivity Detectors

The most important detectors to counting

particles are:

1 )Gas-filled Counters.

2 )Scintillation Counters.

3 )Semiconductor detectors or solid state detectors.

Geiger-Muller Detector

Scintillation Counter

The solid scintillation counter is a solid state radiation detector which uses a scintillation crystal )phosphor) to detect radiation and

produce light pulses.

Half life

Half-life is the time required for the quantity of a radioactive material to be reduced to one-half its original value .

Ex: Uranuim-298

4.5 billion years )long time)

Carbon-14

20 min ) short time)

Ionizing Radiation Safety

• Remove the source from the storage only when ready to use it.

• Never pick up radioactive sources except with the tweezers/tongs.

• Increase your distance from the source.

• Decrease your time exposure to the source.

• There should be no eating, drinking in the laboratory where such sources are in use.

• Be sure that the sources are returned to the storage before you leave the laboratory.

Prepared by

•Sara AL-Dosari