Radon Adsorbed in Activated Charcoal--A Simple and Safe Radiation Source for Teaching Practical Radioactivity in Schools and Colleges

Autor/inn/en	Al-Azmi, Darwish; Mustapha, Amidu O.; Karunakara, N.
Titel	Radon Adsorbed in Activated Charcoal--A Simple and Safe Radiation Source for Teaching Practical Radioactivity in Schools and Colleges
Quelle	In: Physics Education, 47 (2012) 4, S.471-475 (5 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0031-9120
DOI	10.1088/0031-9120/47/4/471
Schlagwörter	Radiation; Intervals; Energy; Nuclear Physics; Science Education; Science Instruction; Higher Education; Undergraduate Students; College Science; Experiments; Schools; Colleges + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Strahlung; Energie; Atomphysik; Kernphysik; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Erprobung; School; Schule; College; Hochschule; Fachhochschule
Abstract	Simple procedures for teaching practical radioactivity are presented in a way that attracts students' attention and does not make them apprehensive about their safety. The radiation source is derived from the natural environment. It is based on the radioactivity of radon, a ubiquitous inert gas, and the adsorptive property of activated charcoal. Radon gas from ambient air in the laboratory was adsorbed into about 70 g of activated charcoal inside metallic canisters. Gamma radiation was subsequently emitted from the canisters, following the radioactive decay of radon and its progenies. The intensities of the emitted gamma-rays were measured at suitable intervals using a NaI gamma-ray detector. The counts obtained were analysed and used to demonstrate the radioactive decay law and determine the half-life of radon. In addition to learning the basic properties of radioactivity the students also get practical experience about the existence of natural sources of radiation in the environment. (Contains 5 figures.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10