M G Green 1978 Phys. Educ. 13 348 doi:10.1088/0031-9120/13/6/003
M G Green
Show affiliationsAn experimental method together with its apparatus is described for the determination of the 40K isotope relative abundance. The method is suitable for teaching at a tertiary and secondary level. The method depends on natural potassium containing 1 part in 104 of 40K. 40K is an electron emitter and this is detected in a KCl disc by the use of a geiger counter. The experimental problems of dealing with a low count rate compared the natural background are discussed. The mathematics of calculating the isotopic abundance are presented. This requires a preknowledge of the half-life and makes allowance for electron absorption within the thin KCl disc.
Accelerators, beams and electromagnetism
Issue 6 (September 1978)
M G Green 1978 Phys. Educ. 13 348
J Richard Gott and III 1998 Class. Quantum Grav. 15 2719
Sarah Bridle and Lindsay King 2007 New J. Phys. 9 444
Xiangyang Shi et al 2006 Nanotechnology 17 1072
P J Stephanou et al 2006 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 34 342
Masahiro Takada and Sarah Bridle 2007 New J. Phys. 9 446
Fred A Mettler Jr et al 2000 J. Radiol. Prot. 20 353
J. P. Wesley 2003 Europhys. Lett. 63 214
Christian J Bell et al 2008 J. Neural Eng. 5 214
E B Lin 1991 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 24 L1045