Experiment

-3

Objective : Study of y absorption in matter by y-ray source.

Sources
Scope

i.
ii.
iii.

y-raysource

:F

Nun

ofExpt:
Keep the source in the holder and at different values of the voltage record the number of
counting and hence plot a graph between the count rate and the applied voltage.
Now take the background reading for about 10 min without the source.
Now put the source and then the absorbers (alpminium sheets) in different combinations
and determine the count rate at different thickness.

iv.

Calculate the linear attenuation coefficient, mass attenuation coefficient and half value
thickness.

Theory : Write about GM counter in details,

(A) Draw the operational characteristics curve of the counter and decide on the operating voltage.
(i)Set counting time for 20 or 30 sec. Set no. of run as 1.
(ii) Set your source in slot 4.
(iii) Set your HV to 0 by turning the HV Pot and then RUN. Note your counts. This is RUN-1
(iv) Repeat the same for RUN-2 and note down your counts.
(v) lncrease your HV in a step of 50 and take RUN-1 and RUN-2. Note it down.
(vi) Repeat (v) in a step of 50 [from 0 to 250], step of 20 [from 250 to 350], step of 50 [from 350 t 950],
and step of 20 [from 950 to 1100].
(vii) Make proper table and draw the

No of Counts

No of Counts

Characteristic Graph

180
160

F.
140

tt

120

100

Cli; rr"t"ttsti"

*r*]

o
o
L

o)

-o
E

zf

80

60

-r,

r-'

ri - r-l..a,-r-l-.a-1-r

I
t

40

20

300 400 500 600 700 800 900

1000 1100 1200

DC Voltage (Volt)

Now decide the operating voltage from the above graph i.e may be 618 V
(B) Determination of background readings for long time (may be 10 minutes) without
sources:
Background read ing rnlithout sources

Time{sec}cournts Aug.count

6CI0 653
600 484,

f,o,unt rate(county's]
D.9s

568.5

(C) Determination of count rate after putting the absorber with source:
Reading for ca;rnt rate Efter putting the ahsorhen
rAverage Co!nt Counl rste(count/sec] C0rre,cted rate( cotr nt/sec)
Count
.

Voltage(vl Tir-ne(sec] Th,ckfless{rn.n}

105

c.2

95

98,57

3.29

103.00

3.43

n02.33

3.41

too

lL8?

30

1:12
AA

10s

1S3

2.tl

Keepthe thiclwtess (inmm) asfollows:0.2,0.6,0.8, 1.0, 1.2,1.6,1.8,3.0,3.2,3.6,4.0,4.5,4.8,

5.7,5.7,6.5,J.1,7.5,8.1, 8.5, 9.7,9.5,10.0, 1r.0,12.0, 12.6,73,73.6,14.0,15.0, 15.6,76.2,
16.8, 17.5, 18.1, 19.5, 20.r, 20.5, 2l.l and2l.3
You can take Lwo

(2) RUN. Time can be more (60 sec). You decide your No of RUN and Time.
69

57

518

6I-.00

?.03

t).73

62.67

,nq

0.79

78.67

2.36

s8
5B

62

2L.1

518

69
IJ

518
Graph

30

68

2L.3

Plot of /og(count rate) vs thickness (inmm\

:

Plot 0f l0O{couflt rate} vs thichness(cm}

A= 0.74 46 5
B= Ct.0 0 461

r00

50

1!0

2r0

:4.0

thickness(in cm)

Absorber mass thickness

ln terms of mass attenuation coefficient, the attenuation law for gamma rays takes the form

l/ls =

ct
"-(u/o)

| = intensity that comes out

lo=lncident intensity
U= linear attenution coefficient
p= density of the absorber
t = thickness
(u

p) = the mass attenuation coefficient

Half value thickness

Half value thickness is the thickness of the absorber at which the value of the incident intensity attenuated
to half of its initial value.

Calculation:
From graph 2 we

have p:linear attenuation coefficient:0.0461 mm-l

Now as Paluminium

:2.7

glcm3 or 2.7 mg/mm3

We have mass attenuation coefficient

It I

p:

0.046112.7 mm2mg-t

1.707 4xl0-2 mm2mg-l

Calculating half value thickness

At half value thickness log(I/I6):ln(Il2): -0.693:

) t:

-0.6931-0.0461

-trtt

15.0325

1.5033

Note: All the numerical value (except paluminium :2.7 glcm3) are just examples and not real value
of expt. Put your own experimental value and find the true value'

Result

The threshold voltage of the GM counter was found to be 367 volts.

The linear attenuation coefficient of aluminum was found to be 0.0461 mm-l

The mass attenuation coefficient

l.7O74xl0-2 mm2mg-l

The half value thickness = 15.0325 mm

Error

Write possible errors.