Use a Geiger counter to
investigate the random statistics of radioactive decay and study the Poisson and
Gaussian distribution functions which describe them. Measure the half-life of
80Br after exposing a sample of bromine to a neutron source.
This is a damaged Geiger-Mueller tube that has
been preyed open to show the inside. The cathode wire which was
mounted along its axis has also been removed.
The pictures above show some of the radioactive
sources used in this experiment.
The picture on the left shows the Geiger-Mueller tube mounted in the
center of the steel enclosure. The glass tube surrounding it (also
shown in the topmost picture) contains a sample of quartz sand to be
analyzed.
