This manual is written to help students learn as much as possible about radiation and some of the concepts key to nuclear and particle physics. This manual in particular is written to guide you through a laboratory experiment set-up. | Spectrum Techniques Lab Manual Student Version Revised, March 2011 Table of Contents Student Usage of this Lab Manual . 3 What is Radiation? . 4 Introduction to Geiger-Müller Counters 8 Good Graphing Techniques . 10 Experiments 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Plotting a Geiger Plateau 12 Statistics of Counting . 20 Background . 26 Resolving Time . 30 Geiger Tube Efficiency 37 Shelf Ratios. 43 Backscattering. 48 Inverse Square Law 57 Range of Alpha Particles. 62 Absorption of Beta Particles 69 Beta Decay Energy . 74 Absorption of Gamma Rays 80 Half-Life of Ba-137m . 88 Appendices A. B. C. D. E. F. SI Units . 99 Common Radioactive Sources 101 Statistics 102 Radiation Passing Through Matter 109 Suggested References 113 NRC Regulations 116 Spectrum
