Talk:Geiger-Müller tube

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The following comments copied from Talk:Alpha particle. Vsmith 14:29, 6 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Alpha Penetration and Detection

I was recently reading a discussion on a Yahoo group which led me here due to difficulty reconciling what Geiger-Müller tubes can detect vs. what alpha particles can penetrate. According to the GM tube article, "The usual form of tube is an end-window tube. [...] The mica window type will detect alpha radiation but is more fragile." But, according to this article, "Because of their charge and large mass, alpha particles are easily absorbed by materials and can travel only a few centimeters in air. They can be absorbed by tissue paper or the outer layers of human skin (about 40 micrometres, equivalent to a few cells deep)". If alphas are stopped by tissue paper, how can they possibly penetrate mica? One poster in the Yahoo discussion asserts that since alpha emitters are also gamma emitters, that what GM tubes detect from alpha sources is really only the gamma radiation. Another theory is that they can detect alphas only indirectly, if an alpha impact happens to knock loose an electron (beta particle) from the inside surface of the window. If either of these assertions is true, then I believe a correction to the GM tube article is in order.

Howzit

Alpha particles leave very small holes upon collision with mica. This is a fact. In fact, if you don't believe me, get some radium, put it near some mica and then boil the mica in NaOH. The holes will get bigger. It's a plain, simple fact. Bochum 08:53, 6 August 2007 (UTC)

OK - got a reference for that plain, simple fact? Vsmith 14:23, 6 August 2007 (UTC)

I'm posting this here because I don't know where such a suggestion should be posted in relation to the GM tube article, because the discussion page there just says something about "This article is within the scope of WikiProject Physics..." with nothing about how/where to go about posting a message such as this one.

Will someone please clarify the last part about alpha particles in computer engineering?

Perhaps the definition should be separated from various subtopics such as hisotircal references and reasoning for the nomenclature. Perhaps using subheadings whereby the concept is defined before it's history is described.

As from studied alpha particles have a charge of +2 but the beta particle has a charge of -1, but respectively the gamma particle has a charge of 0.58.107.129.188 08:25, 16 April 2007 (UTC) Dr Mena(MBS) cambridge press