306

Apparatus:

Absorption of Beta Radiation

GM-tube, counter and power supply, aluminium absorbers, special source and absorber holder, micrometer, beta source (strontium 0!, local rules sheet, spill tray"

Procedure#
$" '" 3" Read the sheet %Local rules for the use of sources of ionising radiations by students& (onnect the GM-tube to the di)ital counter*power supply and switch on" +ithout the radioacti,e source present find the bac-)round count B (in counts per second! by notin) the readin) of the counter o,er a $00 second period"

to counter GM tube at a constant distance from the source beta source ." aluminium absorber(s!

/et up the apparatus as in the dia)ram (with the thinnest any aluminium absorber in place! with the VERY FRAGILE E!PE"#IVE front of the GM tube at a $no%n constant distance (e")" 0cm! from the source" All of the abo,e should be placed on the spill tray" Record the count recei,ed by the counter o,er a $00 seconds period" (alculate the count rate (per second!" /ubtract the bac-)round count rate B and so obtain a corrected count rate with the absorber & (s 2$!" 3se the micrometer to find the a,era)e thic-ness, ' (mm! of the aluminium sheet" Repeat sta)es . to 6 for other thic-nesses of aluminum" 5ote# (a! 6ou can use more than one sheet at a time" (b! 7o not use any of the lead absorbers" 8lot a )raph of corrected count rate &*s 2$ a)ainst aluminium thic-ness ' (mm!" 3se your )raph to determine the thic-ness of aluminium re9uired to reduce the number of beta particles passin) by half" :his is -nown as the half-thic-ness '()*"

1"

6" 4"

0" "

;:

," '"6

<ctober , '00$