[dorkbotadelaide-blabber] Particle Detectors

[Robert Hart]

For those not familiar with particle detectors there is a great display 
at the South Australian Museum
http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/page/default.asp?site=1&id=1646&fragPage=1

This display is a great example of the strange atomic world we live in 
where not only materials and electrical devices are emanating 
radioactive rays but they also rain down from the sky from space.   
Invisible, most people are unaware they are present all round us and 
even pass through us, buildings and some particles even pass thought the 
earth as if it wasn't there.  Under normal conditions these particles 
are very diffused and random  ranging  in energy,  time, direction  and 
type.

There are an number ways a particle detector can be built not just a 
cloud chamber http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_detector   In theory 
an array of simple detectors could be built to detect the particles, 
direction and energy.  This data could be captured and then converted to 
an audio or visual display that highlighting there presents also as the 
incidents of particles is random would have the effect chaotic and 
unpredictable

With a little bit of googling I found a number of examples of cheap and 
easy to build detectors.

http://www.cosmicrays.org/
http://www.techlib.com/science/ion.html




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