Experiment 1: Radiation Detection

Angel An Valenzuela, Stephanie Chloe Vitan, Kevin Linn Edric Yason, Venice Geraldie Yu

Department of Mathematics and Physics, College of Science,

University of Santo Tomas, Manila 1015

Abstract the three shielding materials, Lead showed

that it has the highest possibility of
Ionizing Radiation emissions are shielding.
invisible and extremely difficult to detect
conventionally. To solve this problem, the 1. Introduction
students made use of a Geiger-Müller
Counter. This experiment aims to determine Radiation is any process that uses
the plateau and optimal operating voltage of energy to transmit through space or through
a Geiger-Müller Counter, the statistics such any medium. There are two types of
as the Poisson and Gaussian distribution radiation: ionizing radiation and non-
comparison in relation to the measurements ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is
of a Geiger-Müller Counter, and the produced when an energy carried by
measurement of background radiation. radiation is enough to remove tightly bound
Although the Geiger-Müller Counter (ST- electrons from an atom; this produces an
360 Counter) available in the laboratory ionized atom. Some examples are x-rays,
was not able to function well, the students gamma rays, beta rays, etc. Contrarily, non-
were able to find an alternative by detecting ionizing radiation is produced when an
the effect of distance of the radioactive energy carried by radiation is not enough to
sources: Co–60 (Gamma), Cs–137 (Beta produce an ionized atom. Examples are
Gamma), and Sr–90 (Beta), with and light, radio waves, microwaves, etc.
without shielding on the radiation or counts To detect and measure ionizing
per minute (CPM) by the use of a digital radiation, a Geiger-Müller Counter may be
radiation monitor. It was found that the used. The Geiger-Müller Counter was
CPM of a radioactive source decreases as invented by German physicists Hans Geiger
the distance of such source from the digital and E.W. Müller in 1928 in order to detect
radiation monitor increases. Moreover, and measure ionizing radiations; these
when shielding was added through the use include radioactive particles such as alpha
of various materials, decrease in the and beta, and rays such as gamma and x. In
radiation or CPM of all the radioactive this experiment, the students made use of a
sources as compared to the CPM without Geiger-Müller Counter to determine its
shielding was observed. Cs-137 (Beta plateau and optimal operating voltage, the
Gamma) obtained the highest CPM while statistics such as the Poisson and Gaussian
Co-60 (Gamma) obtained the lowest. Among distribution comparison in relation to the
measurements of a Geiger-Müller Counter, rays, Alpha and Beta. Gamma and X-
and the measurement of background ray have greater energy levels than those
radiation. under ultraviolet or visible light. Alpha
particles, positively charged helium nuclei,
2. Theory are relatively easier to block than others.
By the use of a Geiger-Mueller (GM) Beta particles, negatively charged electrons,
tube, the Radiation Monitor senses ionizing are harder to block. The density and
radiation. Geiger-Mueller tube is a gas filled thickness of the shielding material are some
detector which works on the principle that of the important things to consider for
ionization of molecules in the air or gas radiation shielding.
happen when radiation passes through air or
specific gas that can easily be ionized like
usually neon, argon, and halogen . This tube
is a hollow cylinder through which the
condition of gas is at low pressure. On one
end of the tube, it has a window, made up of
thin material called mica. Mica allows alpha
particle to enter the tube. GM tube also has a
central electrode inside of it. Across the
covering of the tube and central electrode, a Figure 1: GM tube working principle
high voltage supply is connected. The
production of ions in the gas of the tube 3. Methodology
happen when alpha, beta or gamma radiation
enters the tube. These ions in the gas caused
the tube to conduct and current is produced
in the tube for a short time. The production
of voltage pulse is due to the current. Every
voltage pulse represents to one ionizing
radiation. The voltage pulse produced is
amplified and counted. The higher radiation
entering the tube, corresponds to higher
ionization inside the tube and therefore,
higher number of counts. Figure 1 shows the Figure 2: Experimental set-up
GM tube working principle.
The experiment is composed of two
Radiation shielding is established activities that were done to measure how the
from the attenuation principle. It is the distance and shielding affect the radiation
capacity to decrease a wave’s effect by count per minute of three radiation sources,
blocking or bouncing particles through a Co-60, Sr-90, and Cs-132. Figure 2 shows
barrier material. Some of the types of the experimental set-up. For the first
radiation encountered are Gamma rays, X-
activity, the radiation source was placed 8 92 266 225
2cm away from the radiation monitor. The 10 86 147 136
distance of the source from the monitor was 12 65 102 111
gradually increased every recording until the 14 55 98 100
source was 20cm away with 2cm increment 16 40 76 50
18 32 67 40
per batch. The count was recorded with its
20 28 54 35
corresponding distance from the radiation
monitor. The same procedures were done for
the three varying radiation sources. For the As the distance of the radioactive source
second activity, same set up was done with changes from the digital radiation monitor,
the first activity but with the presence of a the counts per minute (CPM) or radiation of
shielding material. The three varying such radioactive source changes as well.
shielding materials that were used were Table 1 shows that, for all radioactive
Plastic, Aluminum, and Lead. The count per sources, the CPM of a radioactive source
minute was recorded to determine how the decreases as the distance of such source
shielding materials affect the radiation count from the digital radiation monitor increases.
of the source. Furthermore, the most radioactive source
comes from Cs-137 (Beta Gamma), while
4. Results and Discussion the least radioactive source is Co-60
Initially, the researchers were using (Gamma).
the ST-360 Counter which was connected to Table 2. Effect of distance with shielding
the computer. However, a technical on the radiation or counts per minute
difficulty was encountered, specifically a (CPM) of the Co–60 (Gamma).
malfunction of the Geiger-Müller Counter
where no counts are being recorded as the
voltage increases. Therefore, an alternative, Co–60
(Gamma)
which was using an apparatus that measures
Distance Plastic Aluminum Lead
the radiation of a radioactive source, was (cm) (F) (P) (T)
used. CPM CPM CPM
2 386 370 323
Table 1. Effect of distance without
4 168 162 128
shielding on the counts per minute (CPM) 6 138 101 86
of the radioactive sources. 8 83 79 65
10 70 55 41
Co–60 Cs–137 Sr–90
12 51 47 38
(Gamma) (Beta (Beta)
14 41 36 27
Gamma)
16 32 29 22
Distance CPM CPM CPM
18 24 20 17
(cm)
20 22 12 10
2 390 1557 1100
4 200 547 569
6 172 315 253
 Three materials were used to shield
the radiation of a radioactive source: Plastic,
Table 3. Effect of distance with shielding Aluminum, and Lead. According to Tables
on the radiation or counts per minute 2, 3 and 4, plastic exhibited the lowest
(CPM) of the Cs–137 (Beta Gamma). capacity to shield the radiation while Lead
Cs–137 showed the highest capacity to shield the
(Beta radiation; such condition was evident to all
Gamma) radioactive sources. Furthermore, Lead was
Distance Plastic Aluminum Lead able to completely block or shield the
(cm) (F) (P) (T) radiation of Sr-90 (Beta).
CPM CPM CPM
2 1121 934 456 5. Conclusion
4 508 422 249
6 285 247 166 The group was able to find an
8 223 145 116 alternative method to know the counts per
10 173 124 83 minute (CPM) or radiation of a radioactive
12 124 83 62 material by using distance instead of
14 83 62 51 voltage. Shielding through the use of other
16 76 57 41 materials can decrease the radiation or
18 62 51 34
counts per minute (CPM) of a radioactive
20 55 34 20
source. The highest CPM belongs to Cs-137
(Beta Gamma) while the lowest belong to
Table 4. Effect of distance with shielding Co-60 (Gamma). Among the three shielding
on the radiation or counts per minute materials, Lead showed that it has the
(CPM) of the Sr–90 (Beta). highest possibility of shielding.
Furthermore, Lead was also able to
Sr–90 completely shield Sr-90 (Beta).
(Beta)
Distance Plastic Aluminum Lead 6. References
(cm) (F) (P) (T)
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(n.d.). Retrieved from
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