Experhnent no.

Ahn:
To study the absorption of beta rays in Aluminium and to find the range of beta
particles by half thickness method.

Introduction:
A Geiger-Muller (GM) counter is used to detect an ionizing radiation and
count the number of radiation quanta (beta, gamma etc.) entering the detector
for a preset time. In this experiment we will carry out the absorption studies
using radioactive beta source and absorber (such as aluminium) with the aid of a
GM counter and hence determine the range of beta particles in the given
absorber. Using this range you can find the end point energy of the beta rays
emitted by the radioactive source.

Apparatus used :
./

1. Radioactive source (e.g., Co-60, Pb-210, Tl-204, Sr-90)

2. GM Tube (End window) type GM125 with stand and source holder.
3. Geiger Counting System, type GC601A or GC602A.
4. Aluminium absorber set.
5. Micrometer screw gauge.
6. Connecting cables.
7. Lead Castle (Optional).
fheory:
For continuous beta spe ctra, It is found
that the obsorption meas ured by a
gas filled deteclor can be represented by,
I/lo = exp(- µx) ... ... ... (1)
a rays
ial ionization measured after1 the bet
Where, Illa is the fraction of the init
ing material and 'µ' (cm · ) is the
have passed through 'x'(cm) of absorb ns,
are nt abs orp tion co- efficient for the particular spectrum [Ref: RD Eva
app
7]. lf 'p' (g/c m
3
) is the den sity of the absorber, it is found experimentally
p.62
ma ss-abso rpti on coe fficien t 'µ/p ' is nearly independent of the atomic
that the
d values of 'µ/p' for several naturally
weight of the absorber. A plot of reporte
represented moderately well by the
occurring ~ray spectra, is found to be
em pirical relation,
4
µ/p = 17/(Emu ) ••• ••• • (2)

n (2),
(cm2/g) of aluminium. Using equatio
where , Em is in Me V and µ/p is in nsity to one half its
uce the beta inte
the absorber thickness required to red
original value is given by,
4
(3)
D112 = 0.693/( µ/p) = 0.04 Em 1.1 • • •

~ray
arkable fact about the absorption of
This is called half thickness. The rem d unique ly
coefficient seems to be determine
spectra is that the mass-absorption
um, Em .
by the end point energy of the ~spectr
an empirical relation,
. Range of beta particles is given by
2 ( 4)
Ra = (0.52 Em - 0.09) g/cm ••• •••
rce in
the beta rays from the radioactive sou
Where Em is the end point energy,.of expressed
kness of the two sources may be
Me V. Therefore, the ratio of half thic
approximately as,

D1/2(1) / Du~(2) = Ro( l)/ Ra(2) .

. . . (5)

onding ranges of the beta rays .

Where , Ra(l) & Ra(2) are the corresp first
source with long life time) Ro(l) is
Range of a standard source (pure beta values of
(4). Then from the measured
calculated using the empirical relation using
D112(1) & D112(2) range of the sec
ond source Ro(2) may be estimated
equatio n (5).
3
 Procedure: ns nn
n GM
d ar1 •at1gcn1e11t hetwec 'r countin g systern
1. Stan dard co nn ectio urce
rb er and mdloactlve so
(GCS) 1 dete cto1~abso th e voltage? ob isat c :a
kn cle.
hing 011 th e GC S, lnlrnum
2. Before sw itc . A be ta radioa ctive so ur ~e 1: s~t ~t rn
w ise
by turning Jt anticlock nd .
P aced at a
suitable slot of the GM sta s
eset timde is set (say' 20 , 30s etc) ).and
rst using the PROG button, pr down arr ow
3· Fi ,
EC
.
IN C or D com~an buttons (up-
saved by pr es sin g d elapsed tim e
AR T bu tto n, co un ts, High Voltage, sl no . an
4_ No
w, using ST preset time the
lay ed in the di sp lay screen. At the end of the
are disp .
ter stops an d the to tal counts is to ~e re~orded
coun ve source :
G M Pl at eau using any rad10actt
s. To dr aw the
ll be no co un ts at HV = OV. By gradually .
(i) At first, there wi ps of 20 V or 25V, t~e voltage at
which the
the HV in ste ed
increasing
ar is no ted an d su cc ~s s1ve counts are re~ord
counts begin to appe an d ta.kmg the me~n each
n1:1e.
se ts of re ad in gs
serially, taking 3 HV applied and the GM op
eratmg
are pl ot ted ag ain st
(ii) The counts dl e of the p!ateau region
o~ the
is fo un d at the m id the
voltage un ter 1s ready for takmg
cu rv e. No w the co
characteristic
....
1 desired readings .
ts :
6. Background coun ltage at the operating voltage and without
any source
vo e
(i) Set the GM
ad in gs ) ba ck gr ou nd measurements and tak
make a few (about 5 re .
d co m pu te the ba ck gr ound count rate(BGl)_
the average an the name of the isotope
, its activity
d be ta so ur ce an d no te e half
7. Take a standar
re wr itten on the se ale d source. Also note th
and date of manufactu beta particles.
pe an d endpoint energy of the about
lif e of this iso to
ce tra y at ab ou t 3c m ancta source holder at
sour unts for
8. Then, place it in the the GM tub e. Take a set of three co
w in de w of
2cm from the end rtant, because
er th ick ne ss an d tak e the mean. This is impo
zero absorb te.
th ick ness is fo un d us ing half of this count ra
half
measurement :
9. Absorber thidmes~- iu m ab so rb er s are measured using
a
alu m in
(i) T~icknesses of the fin d the pitch (distance m
oved in
sc re w ga ug e. Fi rst
micrometer e absorber
r sc ale fo r on e tur n of tl1e screw). Place th first
the lin ea
an d ro tat e the th im bl e until it is secured. The
~etween the jaws the last graduation show
ing on the
fi_g ur e is ta ke n fro m
s1g~ificant imble. The
ale di re ctl y tu the left of the revolving th
mam_ s~
ni fic an t fig ur es are taken from the thimble
remarnrng two sig
(fig.1.2) .
opposite the main scale wi th the instrument clos
ed is
in g, i.e . a re ad in g
(ii) Taking a 7:e~o read m os
.
,· cases • the ze1· o ot· th e micrometer
Th is is be ca us e in
a rnusr.

4
 screw docs not col.ncldc with the
main sca le zero rea ding. The
differencc1called the z.el'O error must
be added (or sub tracted).

f"\g.l.2 : The reading is, 7.38mm .

Ill Counts for increasing absorb

er thicknesses are recorded for the
same
preset time.
u
This process is repeated until the cou
nt rate decreases to less than half
lhe count rate with zero absorber thic
12 Th e background count rate
kness.
after the experiment (BG2).
n. Data are to be collected for the standa
rd source and a second beta source
.

Experimental Observations :

Source used : Activity=

Mfg. date= Beta endpoint energy = [Ref. Lab manual]
Half life= Decay scheme (Draw) - do -
Data for GM plateau character
istics :
Table-1
Preset time :

l s1. EHT Counts

,I No. (Volts) Set-1 Error I
I
Set-2 Set-3 Mean [±✓ (N/3)]
(N)
l I

I
i I ___J

I l ---7
I

i
-
From the plot of counts vs EHT, GM
operating voltage is determined.

5
-
I ,I ,.,,urc Ii)
c ur v" fo 1• St,Utf'far
'Thbfc-2 (Ah ..,0 1fHion Y p / /I J_J/( rn >)
11 (,fr·11'-ft
/\1-w w br r 1\ h1mlr1 l111
c;M Ppc1 t11111g , (l/1 ;1gc·
' lw fo u 1 (H< , I)
13,1ckg/()!l/1d ( 01 ml 1,11<
lwfo,,, ('H ,2 )
!lac kgrnund c 011111 lllW G J • HG 2) fd
co un t 1c1te BU - (B
A n.>1i1gc, b,1d,gro1111d
rew -=
Pi tch of mic. rome rcr sc
Preset time - -
t
Counts (C) r NPt rounr s
/ Absorber thick2ness I (C - BG )
l\bo;orber 1h1 ckness (d) - - - - . - - - ,-- .. - '
(cm) d.p (mg/ crn ) Set-3 Mean
Se t-1 / Set-2
- - -R
-CS total !
LSR J
r
J
-~
J
.__ _
I
urce)
bs or pt io n curve for second/unknown so source
Toble-3 (A
source. to be noted as for the standard
(Data for the second beta
note d in table-2)

Data Analysis :
(i) Drawing of graphs :
rv e:
GM characteristic cu and I
(A)
1 is plot ted with co rrected counts along y-axis
Gi aph for table- m id-point of the plateau re
gion is
ge along x-ax is and
applied volta
marked. es:
Beta absorption curv
(B)
& 3 are plo tted with net count rate along y-axis
Graphs for table- 2
along x-axis.
and Absorber thickness icknesses
so rption curves, the half th
From the plotted beta ab
(i i) count rates for the two
sources
to ha lf the ob se rved
corresponding
ined.
DJ12(1) & D112(2) are obta gy of the
ca lculated fro m the kn own beta end-point ener
(i ii) Rl l) is first _
empirical relation (4).
sta ndard source, using the source Ro(2) is calculat
ed by
the seco nd /u nk no w n
(iv) The range o[
va lues of half thicknes ses . D 112(1) & Du2(2)
d
subs tituting the measure
in equation (5). energy of the second/unknown
we can find tl1e
(v) Once we know Ro(2),
tion (4) .
source from equa
KB , 29.12.2020
.,·I
6
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