Beta Radiation Spectrometer

thingiverse

All students learn about radioactivity and know its dramatic consequences from Godzilla to spider senses, but few realize we can safely measure radiation energy in an ordinary science lab using nuclear spectroscopy. Print yourself a simple beta radiation spectrometer made from a Vernier Radiation Monitor, two strong magnets, and a Vernier Rotary Motion Sensor, or use a protractor for manual data collection. In our setup, a radioactive source emits beta particles into a powerful magnetic field. Strong magnets bend the charged beta particles' path. The least energetic particles bend the most, deflecting with a larger angle, while the most energetic ones bend less. So we can calculate each beta particle's energy from its deflection angle by slowly rotating a radiation source and measuring the radiation on the other side of the magnets. By counting the number of counts per minute at any given angle, we find the corresponding energy through a little physics. The result is a spectrum of beta radiation that compares with published spectra.