Experiment 1b Class: Name: ( ) Date:

1b Ionizing power of radiation

✐ Get to OUP web Objective
(http://nsspaw.oupchina.
com.hk) for Code of To compare the ionizing power of α, β and γ radiation using a spark
Practice on the Use counter.
of Sealed Radioactive
Sources for Teaching
Purposes in Schools.
(Click ‘Lesson Companion’
and then ‘Other Materials’.) Background information
1 There are three common types of nuclear radiation, called alpha (α),
beta (β) and gamma (γ).

2 When nuclear radiation passes through a gas, it removes electrons

from some of the gas molecules and causes ions to form. The gas
is said to be ionized. As the ions are free to move, ionized gas can
conduct electricity.

3 The ionizing power of a radiation can be studied using a spark

counter. When a radioactive source is brought near the wire gauze
of the counter, sparks are produced due to ionization. The more the
sparks produced, the stronger the ionizing power of the radiation.

Warning! S afety precautions MUST be followed

when handling the radioactive source.

Apparatus
❏ 1 α source (americium)
❏ 1 β source (strontium)
❏ 1 γ source (cobalt)
❏ 1 radioactive source lifting tool
❏ 1 spark counter
❏ 1 EHT power supply unit
❏ several connecting leads

4 New Physics at Work (Second Edition) © Oxford University Press 2007

Class: Name: ( ) Date: Experiment 1b

Procedure
✐ Highlight to the Ss 1 (a) Connect a spark counter to an EHT power supply unit
that a very thin wire is (Fig 1b-1).
connected to the +ve
terminal underneath the (b) Gradually increase the voltage until sparking occurs. Then,
wire gauze. reduce the voltage slightly so that sparking just stops.

Connect the negative

terminal to the earth
terminal. Otherwise, you will
EHT power supply unit
receive an unpleasant (but
✐ Sparking usually with negative
not deadly) electric shock if
terminal earthed
occurs at slightly over you touch the wire gauze.
4 kV. This is because +
-
the air between the radioactive
gauze and the wire source
in the spark counter
becomes conducting radioactive source
under the extra-high lifting tool
voltage.
Bring the radioactive
source slowly towards spark counter wire gauze 
the spark counter, Fig 1b-1
starting from a height
of about half a metre.
When the source is 2 Hold an α source (americium) about 1 cm above the wire gauze.
about 5 cm away,
Observe the sparks produced.
sparking begins to occur.
Sparking increases as
the source is brought 3 Repeat with a β source (strontium) and a γ source (cobalt) in turn.
closer. Note whether sparking occurs.

✎ β source: Sparking occurs.

γ source: No sparking occurs.

✎ Compare the number of sparks produced by the α, β and γ sources.
The α source produces a lot of sparks, the β source produces a few and the γ source

does not give any sparks.

Discussion
✎ Explain why sparking occurs when the radioactive sources are
brought near the wire gauze of the spark counter.
Nuclear radiation from the source ionizes the air between the gauze and the fine wire.

Under the extra-high voltage, these ions produce sparking.

New Physics at Work (Second Edition) © Oxford University Press 2007 5

 Experiment 1b Class: Name: ( ) Date:

✎ Arrange α, β and γ radiation in descending order of ionizing power.

α, β, γ

1 The ionizing power of a radiation can be studied using a

spark counter . The number of sparks produced

indicates the ionizing power of the radiation.

2 Ionizing power of nuclear radiation:

α > β > γ

Further thinking
✎ It is claimed that the spark counter is not an accurate instrument for
measuring ionizing power. According to your experience gained in
this experiment, explain the reason of the claim.
The spark counter does not give counts or count rates. One can only get some idea

of the ‘count rate’ from the rapidity of the sparks observed and the sparking sound

heard.

6 New Physics at Work (Second Edition) © Oxford University Press 2007