High Resolution g-Ray Spectroscopy: A Study of the
Earth's Natural Radioactivity
Click on an image to get a larger picture.
Calibrate a cooled germanium detector coupled to a multichannel
analyzer using standard gamma ray sources. Investigate the complex spectra of
gamma rays emitted by the long-lived isotopes of uranium, thorium and potassium
which are still present in the earth's surface, and measure their concentration
in a sample of earth. Make an estimate of the age of the earth.
The multichannel analyzer is located in the PC
on the left.
