Smoke detector Am-241 source

[AIRburst95]

You don't have to worry about the decay chain BTW it actually goes through the decay chain all the way to easing in a matter of millions of years, unless you've perfected time travel into the future there's not much to worry about

[AIRburst95]

@Ch3mG33K actually that's wrong alpha is special because its particle is actualy an He 2+ ion, this is actually quite common especially in stars :P

[Spicyperson9123]

ok here, I saw something there, when it goes through alpha decay it releases 2 neutrons and 2 protons right but there are no electrons in it so it has a 2+ charge

[Ch3mG33k]

@Spicyperson9123 Uhm, no? In alpha decay it releases an alpha particle...

[STEVEDIGIBOYtv]

Can you detect strontium or yttrium?

[cassiavc]

Radon? I think it is radium. I don't know a lot about this, but after Thorium 90, it looses 2 protons and 2 neutrons right? So it would became Radium, which has 88 protons, not actually Radon, which has 86 protons.

[Ch3mG33k]

@cassiavc Yup, you're correct. I posted a video shortly after this one explaining that very mistake.

[cassiavc]

@Ch3mG33k Ohhh sorry! I didn't notice that you have a new video explaining it. Sorry!

[videogameman1588]

Where did you get ur gamma scout?

[cuanamar]

thank you!!! I was just having today a debate with the firm that must install smoke detectors here in Hamburg(by law) and I tried to explain that I avoid as much as possible any contact with objects that emmit negative radiations...I won this year, I have to see next year what's going to happen...

[Ch3mG33k]

@cuanamar Well you clearly didn't listen to anything I said in this video then. Ionizing smoke detectors work much better than optic ones and radiation coming out of this thing firstly is not negative, it's positive (although I don't think you meant negative in the mathematical sense) and secondly, alpha radiation is not dangerous. When the source is within the canister it comes with, no radiation is emitted.

Don't use my video to perpetuate radiophobia.

[cuanamar]

@Ch3mG33k it wasn't my intention. I am still new to this stuff. Trying to somehow survive in this soup of crappy radiations..... the last sentence in your reply sounds like a sentence or an ultimatum... try to keep it cool, not everyone is a pro in this... this is how we all learn... from mistakes...

[Ch3mG33k]

@cuanamar See that's my problem. If you are in a position of power where you actually are making decisions about this stuff, you shouldn't still be learning about it, you should know more than me.

More importantly, you have to understand where I'm coming from. This is the internet and people on the internet are disastrously dumb. In my video(s) I talk about the different types of radiation and how harmful they are. When people like you make comments like these, seems as if you aren't listening.

[SGTkendo]

nice.

Any particular gloves you wear to handle radioactive items?

I just got the marbles and low level ore from UN.

Thanks!

[Ch3mG33k]

@SGTkendo You don't really need to wear gloves at all. I wear them not because of the radiation but because I don't want radioactive particles on my hands. If you are going to use gloves, make sure they are disposable and whether or not you wear gloves, it's always a good idea to wash your hands afterwards. The marbles are really no big deal though. They're really cold.

[thisismyytname]

so how hazardous are smoke detectors to your health? .. if they give off radon.

[ema576]

oh sorry about that i didnt see the following video.

[Ch3mG33k]

That most definitely would not work. The alpha particles being released by this source aren't nearly strong enough to do that.

[vitorix24]

All smoke detectors have Am-241?

[Ch3mG33k]

Not all do, but most do. Some use optics to detect smoke but they are notoriously unreliable.

[vitorix24]

and where i find ion smoke detector?

[Ch3mG33k]

Virtually anywhere. Grocery stores, hardware stores, convenience stores, etc.

[vitorix24]

and how much does a smoke dtc..?

[Ch3mG33k]

I don't follow.

[vitorix24]

how cust in € the smoke detector?

[Ch3mG33k]

Not a clue. I'm American.

[vitorix24]

lol in $ :D

[Ch3mG33k]

About $10 I'd wager. Honestly don't remember.

[vitorix24]

thx :D in € custs about 5 or 6€....

[doskabier]

I HOPE YOU DIE ON CANCER

[Ch3mG33k]

Intelligible.

[nepssis]

I would like to have gamma scout, but it's so expensive :(

[JaksProductions]

Umm whats up with the gloves seriously.Alpha is too weak to even penetrate the dead layer of ur skin lol. ohh and the radon that you would get from a few micrograms of Am is ... virtually none.

[Ch3mG33k]

I'm obviously aware of that. There's no reason however that I shouldn't wear them to prevent being contaminated with pieces of the Am-241 though. If that stuff gets in you, well I'm sure with your extensive knowledge of radiation you know what happens...

[JaksProductions]

:D yeah ok

[rsty615]

Am-241 has a 60keV gamma. I use this gamma in germanium detectors to measure the concentration of Am.

I'm also impressed that your detector can pick up alphas. Alpha detectors tend to be pricey!

Good job with all your nuclear research. Keep it up.

[KaDeZi]

Excuse me please but there is a little mistake in the 3rd line of your table.

Uranium has 92 protons in the core and not 93.

But nice video!

Was there any activity on the smoke detector how strong the source is?

Greetings

[Ch3mG33k]

Haha hey, look at that. This video is full of mistakes. Thanks for pointing it out!

As for the smoke detector, nope. No activity whatsoever. Which is expect by the way. Inducing radiation is a difficult feat and simple alpha radiation can't do that.

[navyman729]

you r a very smart person

[skuitarman]

were did you get, and how much was that "gamma scout"

[nineaclock]

There not enough Radon from the amount Americium that they put in Smoke Detectors to even hurt you. Iv put a radon Detector right up to a Americium 241 and it didn't even jump. Plus you basically just defeated the purpose of putting it in a canister since the radon gas builds up to a dangerous level and release as you open it up. Its better if you just leave it out so it cycles out in to the thin air.

[JaksProductions]

thats right :)

[subarumitsubishi]

Well I guess there wasn't any radon anyway, haha.

[Ch3mG33k]

There is, it's just a negligible amount because the half-life or radium is around 1,000+ years.

[subarumitsubishi]

Don't you just release the Rn when you open the canister?

[evansp12]

Nice video!

[fsamo123]

if someone dismantled the americium

source from the chamber and accidently scratched the 2um gold plated source during the process would any dangerous amount of respirable americium be released to impose an inhaltion danger. I know that americium is insouble through the GI tract but what about releasing a respirable amount through scratches etc. I read that xcratching the source is very dangerous because of the inhalation route. What do you think?

[Ch3mG33k]

Definitely not. The Americium used in smoked detectors is really rather safe. I certainly wouldn't suggest eating it but a few scratches shouldn't be too detrimental. Remember though: No amount of radiation is technically safe!

[JACK9519]

Ch3m g33k u will severely irradiate urself with that stuuff !!! Its radioactive and it contaminating everthing it touches u want lead shielding a 'pig' lead drum for storing it in best of all leave it alone. As for the sodium thats crazy u will blow urself up.

[Ch3mG33k]

First of all, mind your own business. I will irradiate myself as I see fit. Secondly, I don't sleep with these things under my pillow so it's not like I'm exposed to a lot. Thirdly, in this clip in particular, I'm being exposed to alpha radiation which can't even penetrate my skin. Finally, I can handle myself with the sodium. The fact that I wasn't injured when the flask exploded is a testament to how safe I am when I do experiments.

[bionerd23]

i 'stole' a bit of your idea for my latest video, yet it's different as i described half times and stuff... check it out if you want, and hope yer not mad because i used you as inspiration. ;-)

[Ch3mG33k]

Nah, I think it's great! Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Great video by the way. Highly informative.

[atomic7732]

When I hear it it is a half-life. What is a half-time is it different (like day from rotation period) or is it the same with a different name?

[bionerd23]

yeah, half-life and half-time is the same afaik.

[mingmingnak]

oh ...i didnt even notice the mistake in the decay chain..says how much i was paying attention..*embarassed*

[mingmingnak]

the thing is that neptunium's half life is very long..in the range of 2.144×10^6 years...so worrying about radon gas from that is ...really not reasonable....the AM's half life is also relatively long in the order of 432 years...so yea

[nitrex]

Even if it decays Radon, it won't be enough to harm you. You do know that in some areas in the world there are high levels of Radon gas. Also to prove your theory, its best to get a Radon detector, it will test proof.

[Ch3mG33k]

Radon detectors are mad expensive otherwise I would. And in my opinion, no amount of radon is safe.

[nitrex]

Actually every chemicals exposure has an amount that you in take before it harms you. The people in Ireland breath radon in high areas all the time and nothing happens to them, it depends on the concentration mostly, but its unlikely that you will ever be breathing some, but every has breathed radon.

[Ch3mG33k]

Again, I'm not saying that isn't true man. I know the threshold limits. I've studied them. Hell, I can even calculate why the limits are what they are. I'm just saying I don't like any amount of radon. If you check out my newest video though, you'll see we don't even have to worry about radon.

[nitrex]

Thats exactly the same source of Americium i got as well. You just haven't extracted the metal plate from the plastic yet.

[Ch3mG33k]

I'm aware. I like keeping it in the plastic though. It's less likely that I'll loose it.

[JeremyBechen]

Nice video, with a very informative narration. I absolutely worship you for being the first (I think) YouTuber to include decay equations in a video, at least for Am-241. I've got roughly the same dry-erase board with the same equations on my wall, still.

[Ch3mG33k]

Thanks a bunch! I feel like most videos on youtube focus on the "cool" aspects of chemistry but don't really inform the watcher of any theory. I felt like changing it up. Glad you liked it.

[Ch3mG33k]

Shockingly enough, I got mine from an Ace Hardware store. Only cost me $7. Really cheap.

Thanks for the comment =D

[bionerd23]

very good video! nice display of the looks and radioactivity of a smoke detector source, was very helpful to me. =)

i was trying to get some cheap ionizing smoke detectors (probably water damaged etc. and thus cheap), but havent had luck yet. where did you get yours? thanks and keep up the cool videos!