how to build a geiger counter / radiation detector from household materials

READ THIS DESCRIPTION for background information, i.e. how this device works at all (see links below)!

ps: technically, this is NOT a geiger counter. a geiger counter is a special type of ion chamber that runs on very high voltages. the device demonstrated in this video is just a very simple ion chamber.


more videos about how ion chambers and radiation detectors in general work:

geiger mueller counter (a special type of ion chamber):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPjBoqvIWKw

scintillation counter (not an ion chamber):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSH2FDh7A4k

radioactive decay modes; alpha and beta radiation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvzqBs3KHAg

radioactive decay modes; gamma radiation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKgATJy865w

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• ion
• chamber
• diy
• do
• it
• yourself
• homemade
• household
• materials
• cheap
• can
• dosimeter
• radiation
• detector
• roentgen
• exposure
• radiology
• Ba-133
• Barium
• caesium
• Cs-137
• strontium
• Sr-90
• mica
• alpha
• beta
• gamma
• window
• uranium
• atom
• nuclear
• physics
• radioactive
• radioaktiv
• radioactivity
• radioaktivität
• zerfall
• radioaktiver
• decay
• ionizing
• CDV
• 700
• civil
• defense
• victoreen
• geiger
• counter
• zähler
• sensitivity
• efficiency

[rachm06]

I'm asking a stupid question: if it's said that beta particles are shielded by a simple aluminum plate, how it's possible that you can reveal them through the aluminum foil? Is the foil so thin that some particles pass anyway and hit the wire?

[bionerd23]

@rachm06

depending on the energy of the beta particles, they can get through more or less thin aluminum. i dont know the exact values, but e.g. for X keV betas, you'll need 4mm aluminum, for X keV betas, you need 2mm Al to shield, etc.

[NoWattz]

I wonder if increasing the surface area of the base probe would increase sensitivity?

[bionerd23]

@NoWattz

hmmm. not sure about that. well, then again, if that brings it closer to the other electrode, then yes, maybe. changing the gas might also increase sensitivity, but especially increasing the VOLTAGE would increase sensitivity.

[mdofxds]

you have been mistaken naming transistor legs: emitter goes to the negative pole of battery and collector goes to the multimeter. though the actual connection is right. also the transistor model is simply BC517. 826 is just a production date code (year 2008, 26th week). thanks for cool video! maybe i will try this )

[bionerd23]

@mdofxds

thanks for the heads up - no time to look into that at the moment, but i'll just reply to it as the last reply for today... so people will hopefully see your comment on top of the list and read it, make up their minds, or at least *know* about this comment. =)

[bionerd23]

@TeenageIronman

sorry about that. :(

whereever you said something (mail? comment?), i'll reply to it at some point. as i noted in my channel info, i'm currently very busy and try to squeeze in a few answers whenever i can (as right now), but even replying to comments may take weeks, and replying to emails may take months. sorry about that. but hey, you dont look a gift horse in the mouth, eh? i'm still giving away all this information for free, and always will.

[ne033x]

I LOVE YOU!!! ;-) LOL great information - well done!!! ;-)

[vishva8kumara]

If you got a multimeter, you don't need the extra battery, because the multimeter already has a battery in it. Turn the multimeter in to ohms range about 500k (set it to measure resistance instead).

[Trodan101]

@MucusFelidae Ever tried to solder soft solder with a cold iron to a large heat sink before??? Me thinks not!

[Trodan101]

Well, I know what I am doing tomorrow!!

[gangster010101]

7:14 HOLY SHIT! XDXDXDXDXD