I just bought one of those for $5. Haven't gotten it yet, but I do know that the detector tube contains a thin plate of 10 millicuries (3700 Becquerels) of Nickel-63, a beta source. Most ionizing smoke alarms use 0.9 - 1 microcurie of Americium-241 (HL = 432yrs), an Alpha source and Spontaneous Fission Source. I believe that some old smoke alarms contained Nickel-63 (HL = 100.1yrs) and Radium-226 (HL = 1602yrs). Some contained up to 30 microcuries. 10 millicuries, is a lot "more" though...
I just bought one of those for $5. Haven't gotten it yet, but I do know that the detector tube contains a thin plate of 10 millicuries (3700 Becquerels) of Nickel-63, a beta source. Most ionizing smoke alarms use 0.9 - 1 microcurie of Americium-241 (HL = 432yrs), an Alpha source and Spontaneous Fission Source. I believe that some old smoke alarms contained Nickel-63 (HL = 100.1yrs) and Radium-226 (HL = 1602yrs). Some contained up to 30 microcuries. 10 millicuries, is a lot "more" though...
KarbineKyle 2 years ago