Radioactive activity of a Thoriated Tungsten electrode
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32685/2590-7468/invapnuclear.6.2022.632Keywords:
Thorium, Geiger-Müller counter, radioactivity, detection, decay chain
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Copyright (c) 2022 Servicio Geológico Colombiano
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Abstract
A thorium sample contained in a welding electrode is analyzed using a Geiger-Müller counter model GMC-600, a cloud chamber, and a Canberra NaI scintillator. The Geiger counter and sample are characterized using the manufacturer’s specifications and nuclear structure databases. A setup is proposed for determining the range in air and the total number of decays of the radioactive source, emphasizing the influence of background radiation and mounting geometry. This mounting is carried out, measurements are reported and interpreted based on theory and bibliographic sources. Finally, aspects of the risk of handling this object are considered.
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