Gamma Ray Spectroscopy

This experiment uses a NaI crystal and the photoelectric effect to obtain spectra of the gamma rays emitted by various sources. Compton scattering is also observed, the mass of the neutron is precisely determined by measuring the energy of the gamma produced in the nuclear reaction producing a deuteron, and the radioactive constituents of a dirt sample are determined.

Lab Guide

Prelab

Please read through the entire lab and figure out what your main goal will be for the lab. In your prelab, state your main goal, which should be specific and clearly defined. Then explain how you will achieve this goal. As part of this, your prelab should contain the answers to the following questions:

• What equipment are you going to use and build?
• What is the basic experimental approach?
• What are you trying to measure?
• What experimental data are you trying to model?
• What challenges do you imagine encountering and how will you overcome them?
• What sources of systematic uncertainty will be present in your measurements?

This writeup should be about 1 page.