Somerset
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Am241 beads
Having several of our these and running through my gamma spectrometry kit, I now want to do something else with them.
1) Spinthariscope
2) source for XRF
Any other interesting suggestions for them please.
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Subverted
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Cloud chamber? Im currently trying to work out a fully sealed design for one of those.
Maybe its time for you to build a neutron detection setup? (And then a fast neutron source from Am241+Be.)
Build an alpha spectrometer?
Lots of options for things to do...just dont eat them!
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phlogiston
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A direct charging generator would be cool and I don’t remember every having seen one amateur scientist-built.
Also, this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCOmPcldqo4
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"If a rocket goes up, who cares where it comes down, that's not my concern said Wernher von Braun" - Tom Lehrer |
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MrHomeScientist
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That actually sounds pretty simple to build, at least for a demonstration. Here's a quote from Wikipedia:
| Quote: | | English physicist H.G.J. Moseley constructed the first of these. Moseley’s apparatus consisted of a glass globe silvered on the inside with a radium
emitter mounted on the tip of a wire at the center. The charged particles from the radium created a flow of electricity as they moved quickly from the
radium to the inside surface of the sphere. As late as 1945 the Moseley model guided other efforts to build experimental batteries generating
electricity from the emissions of radioactive elements. |
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phlogiston
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Measuring the current to establish that the device is working is probably a greater challenge.
A quick calculation: typical Am241 bead from a smoke detector contains 37 kBq according to wikipedia.
37E3 * 2e = 5.93E-15 A
So about 6 femtoampere.
The energy of the alpha particles is about 5.4 MeV, so theoretically maximal voltage of about 2.7 MV.
electrical energy output 2.7E6*6E-15 = 16 nW.
[Edited on 21-3-2017 by phlogiston]
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"If a rocket goes up, who cares where it comes down, that's not my concern said Wernher von Braun" - Tom Lehrer |
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Somerset
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Quote: Originally posted by Subverted  | Cloud chamber? Im currently trying to work out a fully sealed design for one of those.
Maybe its time for you to build a neutron detection setup? (And then a fast neutron source from Am241+Be.)
Build an alpha spectrometer?
Lots of options for things to do...just dont eat them!
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I have a NE technology alpha beta scintillation counter and a feed out to theremino MCA, which I have tried a Am241 pellet Spectra.
I thought alpha spec generally in a vacuum?
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Subverted
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| Quote: Originally posted by Somerset |
I have a NE technology alpha beta scintillation counter and a feed out to theremino MCA, which I have tried a Am241 pellet Spectra.
I thought alpha spec generally in a vacuum? |
Yes, as far as I know alpha spectrometry needs to be conducted in a vacuum.
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CRUSTY
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| Quote: Originally posted by phlogiston |
The energy of the alpha particles is about 5.4 MeV, so theoretically maximal voltage of about 2.7 MV.
electrical energy output 2.7E6*6E-15 = 16 nW.
[Edited on 21-3-2017 by phlogiston] |
Going out on a limb here, but some sort of ideal field effect transistor could be used to amplify this to a usable signal voltage, perhaps a
JFET. I'm sure it would be incredibly difficult to calibrate and distinguish signal from noise though. Just thinking out loud.
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fusso
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Find a racket shape electric bug zapper, put the alpha source towards the grid, turn it on and enjoy the sound from alpha particles ionizing the air
in the E field.
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unionised
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| Quote: Originally posted by CRUSTY |
Going out on a limb here, but some sort of ideal field effect transistor could be used to amplify this to a usable signal voltage, perhaps a
JFET. I'm sure it would be incredibly difficult to calibrate and distinguish signal from noise though. Just thinking out loud. |
Or we could just use tech that's older than me.
:-)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrometer#Valve_electromete...
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Sulaiman
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| Quote: Originally posted by CRUSTY | | Quote: Originally posted by phlogiston |
The energy of the alpha particles is about 5.4 MeV, so theoretically maximal voltage of about 2.7 MV.
electrical energy output 2.7E6*6E-15 = 16 nW.
[Edited on 21-3-2017 by phlogiston] |
Going out on a limb here, but some sort of ideal field effect transistor could be used to amplify this to a usable signal voltage, perhaps a
JFET. I'm sure it would be incredibly difficult to calibrate and distinguish signal from noise though. Just thinking out loud. |
Or you could use the electronics that come with the Am as part of a smoke detector 
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CRUSTY
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Oh right...
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