How to Disassemble a Smoke Detector

This video shows the extraction process of Americium-241 from a household ionization-type smoke detector.

We will be using the Americium-241 in future videos as an radioactive source in the cloud chamber and live online alpha radiation visualizer.

Tools required:
Soldering iron
Flathead screwdriver

Americium (correct pronunciation: ah-mehr-ih-see-um [I think]) is a synthetic transuranic element which is not dangerous to the human body in this amount and form unless ingested, and even then the dosage will not be medically significant. Alpha particles can be stopped in their tracks by a simple sheet of paper, or the barrier of human skin.

For any questions on nuclear bomb building, it would be very difficult to take apart enough smoke detectors as to gather the 60 kg of Americium required to sustain a nuclear chain reaction as there are less than .3 micrograms in each smoke detector.

Safety information reference:
http://www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q3704.html

Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americium

:) Happy experimenting!

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[TheGooseproductions]

is that a metal lead alloy or what is encasing it

[thecaster]

@TheGooseproductions Steel.

[MsAntoniaGraza]

what can we do with a radioactive "THING"

[thecaster]

For videos of what I did with this radioactive THING, you can click on the video response to this video, and then the video response to that one. I made an cerenkov radiation detector and a cloud chamber.

[xXKentoXx]

is that encloser made from lead

[thecaster]

The enclosure is steel.

[UnoRaza]

You should consider being a surgeon with that dexterity.

[kokobaboko]

Eat it.

[Thecoinvideos]

First of all your a dumbass. It's pronounced amereesium not amerikium. And there is no 1 isotope of any element.

[stdane96]

you pronounced americium horribly. And you absolutely have no idea what you're doing. Dumbass

[KyleXe]

You made a mistake. The title should read, "How Not to Disassemble a Smoke Detector."

Look, even when I first took things apart as a kid, I discovered scissors and side-cutters were safer than knives and slot screwdrivers. Why on earth would you randomly stab something like that?

You made me remember what not to do: the things I learned well a long time ago.

[CabalFreekSlayer]

@Berowra290997 It emits a very low quantity of gama rays. If you had several grams of americium, it would be a serious problem, but at a quantity similar that is used in a smoke detector, it's not much of a big deal. Nonetheless, I wouln't reccomend you to play with americium in any circumstances.

[Berowra290997]

@CabalFreekSlayer What about the gamma emissions though?

[CabalFreekSlayer]

@91770158 Just touching americium will not do anything to you. It emits alpha particles, which can be blocked by bare skin, but if you ate it, it would cause severe damage to your body. And, no, it is not possible to make plutonium by burning americium-241

[ve2zzz]

@airnza380

Watching his manual dexterity, This guy has A LOT more chances of killing himself by digging a screwdriver in his wrist that by the side effects of Americium !!!

[ULTRAMEGAGOD]

u can desoder the metal case off

[91770158]

@xXKentoXx You could be right as radiation cannot pass trough lead.. 

[91770158]

touch that stuff and youll never recover from its effects.........is it even safe to come near it????

and i heard u can make plutoium bY BURNIN' it.