RADI 4550U – Radiation Detection and Measurement

Please answer all questions in the test booklet that accompanies this paper. The value of the
questions is as indicated. The total for the midterm exam is 60 Marks.

1. In general terms describe a radiation detection and measurement apparatus. Clearly label the
various parts. (3 Marks)
2. What is the alpha decay equation? (1 Mark)
3. Describe and distinguish between ionization, excitation, and a nuclear reaction? (6 Marks)
4. What are the four basic types of radiation that we are interested in detecting? Describe each
in terms of charge, size, and energy. (8 Marks)
5. Describe how heavy charged particles interact with an absorbing material. (3 Marks)
6. Define absolute efficiency and intrinsic efficiency associated with radiation detectors. (4
Marks)
7. Define what is meant by the resolution of a detector. (1 Mark)
8. Explain what FWHM stands for, and give one use in the context of this course. (2 Marks)
9. The Bragg curve describes the stopping power (-dE/dx) as a function of penetration within an
absorber. Sketch the expected Bragg curve for a single heavy charged particle. (2 Marks)
10. Describe the three main interaction mechanisms of gamma rays important in radiation
measurements. (6 Marks)
11. All radiation detectors record some background signal. List 3 sources of background
radiation. (3 Marks)
12. What are two commonly used materials to shield background radiation from radiation
detectors? (2 Marks)
13. The SI unit of exposure is the C/kg and the historical unit of exposure is the roentgen (R). A
roentgen, R is defined as the generation of 1 esu (electrostatic unit) of charge per 0.001293 g
of air (1 cm3 at STP). Show 1 R = 2.58 x 10-4 C/kg given 2.08 x 109 ion pairs are generated
per 1 esu, and 1 esu = 3.336 x 10-10 C. (3 Marks)
14. The basic ion chamber includes two electrodes enclosed in a volume filled with gas. Assume
a certain amount of radiation energy has been deposited within this volume. With the aid of
a diagram, describe the origin of the ionization current and how it is collected. (5 Marks)
15. What is space charge? Describe the two categories of space charge effects in a proportional
counter. (3 Marks)
16. In a proportional counter filled with Argon and an average multiplication factor, M, of 1.0 x
103, all the radiation energy from a 1.2 MeV alpha particle is deposited within the sensitive
gas volume. Given the W-value for Ar is 26 eV/ion pair, e = 1.602 × 10 -19 C, and the total
charge Q = noeM, what is the total charge generated at the anode? (4 Marks)
17. A counter gives exactly 10 000 counts in a 1 second period when a standard source is in
place. An identical source is placed beside the first, and the counter now records 19 000
counts in 1 second. Assuming a non-paralyzable dead time model (n−m=nmτ ), what is the
counter dead time? (4 Marks)

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RADI 4550U – Radiation Detection and Measurement

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 RADI 4550U – Radiation Detection and Measurement

Useful Equations:
4π 1 2
S=N E= m v
ϵ ip Ω 2

Ω=2 π 1−
( √d
d
2
+a
2 ) p=mv

( )
2 ϵV
1 /2
' hν
d= hν= 2
eN 1+( hν /(mo c ))(1−cosθ )

e=1.602 ×10
−19
C Ee −¿
=hν −h ν ' ¿

2
V =J /C m o c =0.511 MeV

E
J=N ∙ m I 0=rQ=r q
W

m
n= m=n e
−nτ
1−mτ

μE ∆ I ϵkT
v drift = =
p I eV

IR
∆V = D w =D g=W S m P
C ∆C

n0 e Ed
V max = n o=
C W

2.35 σ n W
R= o
σ n =√ F n o
Ed o

❑
cosα N4π
Ω=∫ dA S=
A r
2
ϵ ip Ω

(( ) ) √
V ln2 V σQ W ( F+ b)
ln M = ∙ ∙ ln −lnK =
ln ⁡(b/a) ∆ V pa ln(b/ a) Q E

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RADI 4550U – Radiation Detection and Measurement