How could you test that gamma rays spread out in different directions?

[PhysicsLearne]

^

thanks

 

[Bob S]

An individual gamma ray (photon) doesn't spread out (excepting double-slit type experiments), but it is straight forward to demonstrate that the angular distributions of photons from incandescent lamps and gammas from radioactive sources are isotropic using detectors. But put a supercooled Cobalt-60 radioactive source in a strong magnet and you could have won a Nobel Prize. See

http://physics.nist.gov/GenInt/Parity/expt.html

Bob S

 

[Choppy]

Well, what you would need would be a gamma ray source and a detector.

One simple experiment (assuming that your source strength is low enough not to pose any significant danger from radiation exposure) would be to place your source on a sheet of film for a period of time long enough to expose the film, then develop it (or, of course you could just use radiochromic film). If the film is properly calibrated, you will end up with a map proportional to the radiation intensity through a plane, thus demonstrating that the gamma rays are spreading out in all directions. You could carry it further and show that the intensity of the radiation falls off in a 1/r^2 for distances much greater than the dimensions of your source.

 

[PhysicsLearne]

Well, what you would need would be a gamma ray source and a detector.

One simple experiment (assuming that your source strength is low enough not to pose any significant danger from radiation exposure) would be to place your source on a sheet of film for a period of time long enough to expose the film, then develop it (or, of course you could just use radiochromic film). If the film is properly calibrated, you will end up with a map proportional to the radiation intensity through a plane, thus demonstrating that the gamma rays are spreading out in all directions. You could carry it further and show that the intensity of the radiation falls off in a 1/r^2 for distances much greater than the dimensions of your source.

Thanks!

I've got to do an experiment this week on the affect of changing Light intensity on Resistance due to LDR..would this two experiments be related in their results? i.e. can I expect to see a 1/x^2 relationship.

 

[pmacias]

for your question! There are a few ways that we could test the spread of gamma rays in different directions. One approach would be to use a detector that is sensitive to gamma rays and can measure their direction of travel. This could be done by placing the detector at different locations and orientations around a source of gamma rays, such as a radioactive material or a gamma ray emitter. By recording the intensity and direction of the gamma rays at each location, we could map out their spread and determine if they are traveling in different directions.

Another method would be to use a collimator, which is a device that only allows particles to pass through in a specific direction. By placing a collimator in front of the gamma ray source and rotating it, we could observe how the gamma rays pass through and if they are spreading out in different directions.

We could also conduct experiments using different materials that are known to interact with gamma rays in specific ways. By placing these materials at various distances and angles from the gamma ray source, we could observe how the gamma rays are affected and determine their direction of travel.

Lastly, computer simulations and mathematical models could also be used to predict and analyze the spread of gamma rays in different directions. By inputting the properties of the gamma rays and the surrounding environment into these models, we could simulate their behavior and compare it to our experimental results.

Overall, there are multiple methods that we could use to test the spread of gamma rays in different directions, and combining these approaches would provide a more comprehensive understanding of their behavior.