Garcia&Gelle AdLab GeigerMullerCounter

Geiger Muller Counter
Luke Gabriel Garcia & Kashawna Gelle
Department of Math and Physics

College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
España, Manila Philippines
Abstract 2. Theory
The optimum operating voltage of The Geiger-Muller tube is filled with

the radioactive source was determined. The gas like helium, neon, or argon with low
counting statistics of the radioactive source pressure. A high voltage will be applied in
was determined and graphed. Radiation in the tube. The tube will have electrical
the absence of a radioactive source was charges when the gas inside the tube is
observed and was used to obtain the true ionized by an incoming radiation. The tube
count of the radioactive source. has an anode and a cathode. The voltage
difference caused by an incoming radiation
1. Introduction is being detected by the anode and the
cathode.
Nuclear Physics started in 1896
when Henri Becquerel discovers 3. Methodology
radioactivity when he was observing the
phosphorescence of uranium salts. First Activity: Geiger Plateau
Radioactivity was further investigated by
Pierre and Marie Curie and Ernest The Geiger counter was setup for the
Rutherford. By studying radioactivity, three activity. By using a program or software, the
types of radiation were discovered coming HV setting option was set to 700 volts. The
from atoms. step voltage was set to 20 as the step voltage
The Geiger counter is one of the enable switch was turned on. The time was
instruments that can measure radiation. In set to 30 with 26 different numbers of runs.
the experiment, A Geiger Counter will be
used to measure ionizing radiation. Second Activity: Statistics of Counting
The objectives of the experiment are: Using the same setup, the preset time
was changed from 30 to 5 with a 150 runs.
• To determine the plateau and optimal The radiation source was removed to obtain
operating voltage of a Geiger-Müller
counter a measurement for the background radiation.
• To investigate the statistics related to The radioactive source was placed back and
measurements with a Geiger counter the measurements were repeated with time
reset to 1 with 750 runs.
To investigate background radiation.
A different setting was made for
another background radiation measurement.
The Geiger Counter’s operating voltage was was found to be at 25 which corresponds to
set to 900v. For 5 minutes, it will measure the mean of the Cs-137. Table 1 summarizes
for 3 runs. A radioactive source was then the statistics of the Cs-137 source and the
background.
placed for new 3 measurements.
Third Activity: Resolving Time
The counts per minute were measured when

the Runs and the Time was set to 0 and 60
respectively. A background radiation
measurement was made. After the Table 1: Statistics of the Counter.
background radiation measurement was Cs-137 Background
made, a half source was inserted with the Mean 25.22 2.40
blank disk and the measurement was Minimum 0 0
recorded. The blank disk was replaced with Maximum 50 11
a half source after running the counter. Standard 12.32 2.37
Deviation
Square root 5.02 1.55
4. Results and Discussion of mean
The recommended operating voltage

for the Cs-137 radioactive source had a Figure 2: Frequency Distribution of Cs-
range from 840V to 1000V. This is the 137 source.
optimum operating voltage because this is 10
where the counts are stable. Figure 1 shows 9
the graph of the Geiger plateau of Cs-137. 8
7
Figure 1: Geiger Plateau of Cs-137.
Frequency
6
300 5
4
250
3
200 2
Counts
1
150
0
100 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49
Counts
50
0
Table 2 shows the average counts,
600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200
background counts, and true counts of the
Operating Voltage (V) Cesium-137 radioactive source. The true
counts is the average count of the
radioactive source and the background
Figure 2 shows the frequency
counts. In the absence of a radioactive
distribution of the Cs-137 source. The peak
source, the counter still detects some
radioactive particles. To find the real count
of the radioactive source, a baseline needs to
be established which is the background
counts. The background counts need to be
subtracted from the average counts to
determine the true counts.
Table 2: True counts of Cs-137.

Average Counts 1750
Average 253
Background
Counts
Average True 1497
Counts
5. Conclusion
The optimum operating voltage of

the radioactive source was determined to be
840V to 1000V. The counting statistics of
the radioactive source was determined and
graphed. The mean obtained was 25.22.
Radiation in the absence of a radioactive
source was determined to have 253 counts
and the average true counts of the Cs-137
radioactive source was determined to be
1497 counts.
6. References
Freedman, H., & Freedman, R. (2012).

Sears and Zemansky's University
Physics with Modern Physics.
Pearson.

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Geiger Muller Counter

Luke Gabriel Garcia & Kashawna Gelle

Department of Math and Physics

The optimum operating voltage of The Geiger-Muller tube is filled with

Third Activity: Resolving Time

The counts per minute were measured when

The recommended operating voltage

Table 2: True counts of Cs-137.

The optimum operating voltage of

Freedman, H., & Freedman, R. (2012).

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