Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University

Inverse Square law for gamma radiation

-:Aims
1.

Verification of the inverse square law for a point source Determination of the efficiency of the Geiger Muller counter Determination of the activity of unknown source.

emitting gamma radiation.

2.

for detecting gamma radiation.

3.

Theory:Gamma rays are electromagnetic radiations, which we detect as quanta of energy or photons. Consider a point source of gamma rays, which emits uniformly in all directions gamma photons with rate = (D photons /second).

Figure (1) Photons emitted from a point source in all directions, note that the
intensity of gamma photons decreases as the distance from the point source increases.

For a sphere at a distance (r) from the point source, the number of photons pass through unit area of this sphere is D/4r where 4r is the area of the sphere.
4th Year, Practical Biophysics, 2008-2009 1

Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University

As shown below in figure (2), if a counter has a circular window of radius "a" placed at distance "d" from the point source, the number of photons that enter the counter is equal to the number of photons that pass through cap which is a part of the large sphere of radius "r" surrounding the source. Hence, the number of gamma photons enters the counter equal to the area of the cap multiplied by D/4r.

GM tube

r p d a b

Figure (2) In order to calculate "A", we take a small element of the cap denoted by the dashed lines in figure 2. The area of this element (rectangular in shape) is equal to its length times its width, where the length = circumference of the inner circle of radius "b" = 2b = 2r sin , the width = length of the arc (from circle of radius "r") = rd

The area of the dashed element

= 2 rd r sin (1)

To find the area of the cap "A" we must integrate equation (1) over the whole range of [0].

A = 2r 2 sin d = 2r 2 [ cos ] 0 = 2r 2 [1 cos ]

4th Year, Practical Biophysics, 2008-2009

Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University

The number of photons "N" that enters the counter is given by:

N = D 4r 2 2r 2 [1 cos ] = ( D 2)[1 cos ]

cos = d r = d a 2 + d 2

= 1+ a2 d 2

= 1 a 2 / 2d 2 + 3a 4 / 8d 4 +

If d > a the terms 3a 4 / 8d 4 + are neglected .

So cos = 1 a 2 / 2d 2

N = D / 2 1 1 a 2 / 2d 2 = D / 2 a 2 / 2d 2 = Da 2 / 4d 2
The efficiency of the Geiger Muller counter for detecting gamma radiation is defined as:
E= Number of counts per sec ond corrected for dead time m = Re al number of photons entering the counter per sec ond N

[ [

]]

OR m = EN = E Da 2 / 4d 2

If the observed counting rate is n / sec and the dead time of the counter is seconds then

n EDa 2 m= = 1 n 4d 2

Procedures:
1. 2.

Adjust the counter at the operating voltage (680V).

Without source find the counting rate for one minute and then convert the background for one second (nb). Put the source in its cavity and find the counting rate (n') for different distances (d).
3.

4th Year, Practical Biophysics, 2008-2009

Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University

Correct for the background n= n- nb and for the dead time m = n / 1-n, then deduce the statistical error m1/ 2.
4.

Plot the relation between 1/d and the crosponding m taking the error into consideration .if the relation is a straight line passing through the origin then the inverse square law is verified.
5. 6.

Find the slope of the straight line (Slope = [E.D.a] / 4).

(If D is given in millicuries, it is converted into disintegration / sec = no. of photons emitted /sec. (1 Curie = 3.7x1010 dis/sec).
7.

Calculate the efficiency from the relation

4 slope Da 2 100 %

E=
8.

Repeat steps 3,4,5,6 for the unknown activity (D') for point source of gamma radiation and find its activity from the equation

D' =

slope of unknown D slope of known source

Where D is the activity of known source

Precaution and safety:

1. Take care with handling radioactive sources, don't Put any

thing on the table when perform any radiation experiment to avoid contamination, Radioactive sources are danger for you. 2. Put the Radioactive source in front of the detector.

4th Year, Practical Biophysics, 2008-2009

Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University

Results:
Background = .count / sec. Using Cs137 Gamma emitting radioactive source (E~ 0.662MeV). d d2 1/d2 (cm) (cm2) (cm-1) Count rate (Count / 30sec) Average Correction count for rate background (count / 1sec) navg. m= n/(1-n) Error m1/2

n1

n2

n3

Slope = count.cm2 / sec Efficiency of the Geiger Muller counter for detecting gamma radiation is
E= 4 slope Da 2 100 % = %

note: the activity D in Bq.

4th Year, Practical Biophysics, 2008-2009

Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University

Using unknown activity Cs137 Gamma emitting radioactive source. d d2 1/d2 (cm) (cm2) (cm-1) Count rate (Count / 30sec) Average Correction count for rate background (count / 1sec) navg. m= n/(1-n) Error m1/2

n1

n2

n3

Slope = count.cm2 / sec

Activity of unknown source =

= . Bq. = .. Ci

D' =

slope of unknown D slope of known source

We can get the activity of the known Cs137 source D knowing the first activity of the source when the department gets it (1Ci), the time from
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Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University

getting the source till to know (20years), and the half time life of the source (30years).

A = A0 e-t Then,

, = 0.693/Th

,Th = 30 years

A = 5x10-6 e -(0.693/30).20 = Ci = Bq.

4th Year, Practical Biophysics, 2008-2009