[Gilded]

Whoopee, I'm quite certainly getting to borrow an over 2000$ Geiger-counter that can even detect different isotopes through observing the decay... something (the energy of the gamma photon perhaps?).

I'm going to:
A) Find a couple of broken smoke alarms and see how much the americium-source shows
B) If I ever get my U-ore sample, see how active it is
C) Going to scan every single place in case someone has hidden plutonium rods there :))

Any other nice stuff to monitor? I guess it's quite a sensitive counter, so weak sources are OK too. Perhaps swansont could lend me some thorium targets... :))

[5614]

you could measure your avatar and some reindeer!

nice have fun... tell if you find any plutonium rods!

[Gilded]

"you could measure your avatar and some reindeer!"

Heh. :) It's a bugger though how reindeers STILL receive quite high Cs-137 levels from lichen due to Chernobyl and the Soviet nuclear experiments. :/ That's probably what causes Rudolf's nose to glow. :D

[YT2095]

gas mantles, old watch dials, some slate roofing, the seal around your microwave, or a mobile phone might be interesting?

[Gilded]

"or a mobile phone"

You know, a Geiger-Müller tube detects only ionizing radiation, and as far as I'm aware, mobile phones produce merely electromagnetic radiation. And with the roofing, do you mean technetium plating as it is used in some cases to provide protection against corrosion?

[YT2095]

Quote

"or a mobile phone"

You know, a Geiger-Müller tube detects only ionizing radiation, and as far as I'm aware, mobile phones produce merely electromagnetic radiation. And with the roofing, do you mean technetium plating as it is used in some cases to provide protection against corrosion?

1`stly, I DID mean a mobile fone.
same as a MW, or Plasma ball, it fools mine into thinking Gamma :)

2`ndly I mean Slate propper grey slate, apparently I rem a Junior School, we did a science experiment using Roof Slate, and the GM det picked up radiation, apparently it`s something to do with the Sun being on it all day everyday, and creating a change?

I was only 10 so don`t ask for more detail! :P

[Gilded]

You've probably been using crappy monitoring equipment. :) Of course, the roofing is attacked by cosmic radiation but not in the amounts that it would differ too much from the background.

[YT2095]

I wouldn`t say it was "Crappy" at all, in fact it`s quite a good and reliable peice of kit. the only way to find out is actualy test it for yourself :)

re: the roof stuff, with proper Slate, you WILL get samples that show quite high radiation emissions as a result of being on a roof for years, and it`s well above background.

[Gilded]

Hmmh. I'm not going to believe the roofing-thing until I see it myself. :) Hope I don't fall of the roof and break my neck, or even worse, break the expensive counter. :D

[YT2095]

well I wouldn`t go so far as to say "I won`t beleive it", just keep an Open Mind :)

I`ve seen it myself 1`st hand, so it`ll certainly be worth a try, don`t pre-judge.
you may not get a result, doesn`t mean it`s not possible, just a difference in samples and/or other factors :)

[Gilded]

It's just that I can't see a scientifical reason for it. Perhaps if the roofing's made of lead or lead alloy it would absorb more cosmic rays that would turn the lead atoms into unstable isotopes... But I still don't think it would measure over background levels if measured with a standard radiation monitor.

[YT2095]

I just thought of another thing you try testing, how about your Thyroid Gland? :)

that`s the place where the majority of Radiation will be stored in your body IF you`de been exposed to it.

[Gilded]

"I just thought of another thing you try testing, how about your Thyroid Gland? :)"

I'd have to get a pretty serious amount of iodine's unstable isotopes in there for it to measure above background. :)

Edit: It seems I'm getting to borrow the counter starting from tomorrow (don't know for how long though). Then we'll see about your magical radiating roof. :))

[ecoli]

Measure the amount of radiation in different types of bananas.

[5614]

just drive around and wait till it ticks higher... then pop out the car and send some of the findings over here ;) (that is off the record of course!)

bannanas are radioactive??? i mean i knew there was a whole thing with fertilisers and all and that they could become extinct - but radioactive?

[ecoli]

Bananas naturally contain levels of radioactive potassium. They have been known to trigger radioactivity sensors that are in place around New York city. (I have that from a direct source. The people who designed the sensors, at Brookhaven NAtional laboratory)

[5614]

bananas contain potassium? can i isolate this and use it? or is it tiny tiny amounts that you cant even get at?

like i mean your blood contains loadsa metals, so i doubt its anything special, but radioactive potassium (K), well, normal K aint radioative, so maybe this is some K isotope?

[ecoli]

Bananas contaim potassium-40, a radioactive potassium isotope, thought to be a major component in the earth's core. I've read there is 3.00 pCi/g , in bananas.

[Gilded]

Every living creature that contains potassium, contains potassium-40. But we're talking very minimal levels here, of course bananas have lots of potassium thereby resulting into having quite a bit of K-40 too. But 3.00 pCi/g... That's not even a single disintegration / second. :)) I trust you mean 3.00 pCi/g of K-40 disintegrations, but that doesn't add too much to the overall amount. Perhaps if you took your counter in a cargo box full of bananas... :)

[ecoli]

Or take it to the supermarket