3B Scientific Spinthariscope - Manual

3B SCIENTIFIC® PHYSICS
Elwe Didactic GmbH • Steinfelsstr. 6 • 08248 Klingenthal • Germany • www.elwedidactic.com
3B Scientific GmbH • Rudorffweg 8 • 21031 Hamburg • Germany • www.3bscientific.com
Subject to technical amendments
© Copyright 2007 3B Scientific GmbH
Spinthariscope U8482490
Instruction sheet
11/07 SP/ALF
1 Magnifying
lens
2 Mounting for radiation car-
tridge
3 Fluorescent screen
1. Safety instructions
• In experiments with radioactive substances, ob-
serve the regulations that currently apply for the
region (e.g., radiation protection regulations).
• Mount the radiation cartridge in the instrument
so that the side from which the radiation emerges
is facing down towards the exposed zinc sulphide
screen.
2. Description
The spinthariscope allows scintillations produced on
an exposed zinc sulphide screen by radiation from
radioactive decay to be observed.
Looking through the magnifying lens in a completely
darkened room allows the randomly spaced flashes
of light caused by radioactive decay to be viewed.
3. Technical data
Fluorescent screen: zinc sulphide
Dimensions: approx. 62 x 54 x 46 mm 3
Weight: approx. 35 g
4. Operation
Additionally required:
Radiation Cartridge, 226 Ra, 3,7 kBq U8483110
• Screw the radiation cartridge into the holder in
such a way that the radiation-emitting side (the
flat side) faces down towards the fluorescent
screen.
• Darken the room and wait until your eyes have
adjusted to the darkness.
• Look through the lens and observe the fluores-
cent screen.
If you hold a piece of paper in the path of the radia-
tion, the fluorescent screen will appear completely
dark, as the
α−particles cannot pass through the
paper.