UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF PHYSICS

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2024-11-23 17:51
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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2023 Meeting


Section: Physics Education


Title:
Nuclear physics with MightyOhm: evidence of inelastic scattering


Authors:
Călin GALERIU (1), Geoffrey ESPER (2), Cristina MIRON (3)


Affiliation:
1) Mark Twain International School, Voluntari, IF, Romania

2) Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School, Charlton, MA, USA

3) University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics, Magurele, Romania


E-mail
cgaleriu@yahoo.com


Keywords:
dead time, Compton scattering, bremsstrahlung, Poisson distribution


Abstract:
Great physicists like Arthur Compton [1] were able to design and build new scientific instruments, which many times opened the door to new physics discoveries. Our students as well should get more involved with this creative method of doing science. One way of promoting this type of experimental research skills is to teach them how to make measurements using the very popular and affordable Arduino Uno microcontroller board and its compatible sensors. With this physics teaching philosophy in mind, and with the help of a MightyOhm Geiger counter, we have investigated the natural background radiation [2]. Smartphones and tablet PCs can also be used to measure radioactivity [3, 4]. Here we present another very accessible and safe nuclear physics experiment, which again does not require any commercial radioactive sources or expensive instrumentation. This time, with the help of a MightyOhm Geiger counter, an Arduino Uno board, and some thoriated tungsten welding electrodes, we have revealed evidence of inelastic scattering.


References:

[1] Erik Henriksen, "Arthur Compton and the misteries of light," Phys. Today 75 (12), 44-50 (2022).

[2] Călin Galeriu, "Nuclear Physics with MightyOhm: The Natural Background Radiation," Rom. Rep. Phys., in print.

[3] Sebastian Gröber, Alexander Molz, and Jochen Kuhn, "Using smartphones and tablet PCs for β‒ spectroscopy in an educational setup, " Eur. J. Phys. 35 (6), 065001 1-12 (2014).

[4] Jochen Kuhn, Alexander Molz, Sebastian Gröber, and Jan Frübis, "iRadioactivity – Possibilities and Limitations for Using Smartphones and Tablet PCs as Radioactive Counters," Phys. Teach. 52 (6), 351-356 (2014).