The Effects of Distance and Shielding on Radioactive Emission

Construction and Working of the Geiger Mller Tube

A Geiger Mller Tube is a part of the Geiger counter and audio device. The tube, which is
a negatively charged metal, is filled with gas and has a wire (a positively charged electrode) in
the center that is connected to a power supply. When ionization radiation enters through the
window at the end of the tube, it causes the gas to become ionized, which now consists of ions
and free electrons. Then the free electrons attach to the wire, allowing a current to flow. At that
time, Geiger counter measures and displays the current on a scaled meter, and the speaker
produces audible clicking sounds.
Purpose/Objective
The purpose of the lab was to study the effects of distance and shielding on radioactive
emission. Particularly for this lab, a Geiger Mller Tube (GM Tube) was operated in order to
detect and measure ionizing radiation. According to Chemistry: Matter and Change (2005),
ionizing radiation is defined as radiation energetic enough to ionize colliding matter.
Data and Data Analysis
The Distance on the Radioactive Emission
Distance of the tube from the radioactive
source (The number of rungs away from the
source)

Number of clicks (Number of radioactive

waves/particles which have entered the
tube) per 30 seconds

14346 counts

6463 counts

3401 counts

1840 counts

The Thickness on the Radioactive Emission

Thickness of lead

Number of clicks (Number of radioactive

waves/particles which have entered the
tube) per 30 seconds

0.032 in

17 counts

0.062 in

15 counts

0.125 in

16 counts

0.250 in

26 counts

Discussion/Conclusion
The essential concept needed for this lab was the use of Geiger Mller Tube and Geiger
counter in detecting radioactivity. We learned how to operate Geiger counter and obtained data
on the relationships of distance and thickness on the radioactive emission. For the purpose of this
lab, Strontium-90 (Sr), a transmitter, was used as radiation and put into a holder in each of the
4 lungs that served as the units of distance away from the tube. In addition, lead was used as the
shield from the radioactive source in determining the effects of thickness on radioactivity.
From the data, we concluded that as the distance of the tube from the radioactive source
increases, the number of counts or the number of the radioactive waves or particles that have
entered the tube decreases. This is due to the fact that as the distance increases, less amount of
radioactive particles are able to penetrate through the window. We also concluded that even
though the presence of lead, which acted as the shield between the radioactive source and the
tube, greatly reduced the number of counts or the amount of radiation passed to the tube, the
thickness of the lead did not affect its shielding capabilities. The varying thickness of the lead
showed no specific pattern in the amount of radioactivity that had entered the tube.
More precise data could be obtained if the experiment were repeated several times.
Additional trials of experiment would also mitigate the risks of errors in the lab, such as
misreading the data. More independent variables, such as more rungs or varying thickness, could
improve the experiment. In order to increase our understanding of the topic, additional
experiments on detecting radioactivity while using other shielding material and element instead
of lead and Strontium could be conducted.