Kurie Plot Y-Axis: Counts, Energy & Time

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In summary, the conversation is about creating a Kurie plot for data collected on Sr-90. The y-axis values are computed by taking the square root of the frequency, which is the rate of returns from the detector. Energy and momentum have a direct relation, but the x-axis is energy. The axes of a Kurie plot are typically labeled with the formula $$\sqrt \frac{N(E)}{pEF(Z, E)S(E)}$$, where ##N(E)##, ##F(Z,E)##, and ##S(E)## are functions that can be found in a table. The person is asking for help understanding these functions and how to determine them.
  • #1
HYaq
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I am trying to make a Kurie plot for Sr-90 data collected. I have my data in counts per energy value, and I know the length of time that the measurement was taken for. How do I compute the y-axis values to produce a Kurie plot? Most of what I have read involves momentum; is there a way to get it from energy and counts?
Thanks
 
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  • #2
The y-axis is just the square root of the frequency. Energy and momentum have a direct relation, but the x-axis is energy anyway.
 
  • #3
mfb said:
The y-axis is just the square root of the frequency. Energy and momentum have a direct relation, but the x-axis is energy anyway.
By frequency, you mean the rate of returns from the detector? i.e. counts/min?
 
  • #4
I just Googled "Kurie plot" . 7 of the first 10 plots had their axes labeled. This obviously isn't working for you - can you explain why not?
 
  • #5
Vanadium 50 said:
I just Googled "Kurie plot" . 7 of the first 10 plots had their axes labeled. This obviously isn't working for you - can you explain why not?
Thanks. Yes, they have them labelled with $$\sqrt \frac{N(E)}{pEF(Z, E)S(E)}$$

I am not sure what ##N(E)##, ##F(Z,E)##, and ##S(E)## refer to as they are functions. I tried searching for them, and I couldn't determine what the functions are. The closest I found was something that mentioned ##F(Z,E)## is often looked up in some table.

Some help with what the terms under the root sign would be greatly appreciated.
 

What is a Kurie plot?

A Kurie plot is a graph used in nuclear and particle physics to analyze beta decay data. It plots the square root of the number of counts on the y-axis against the electron energy on the x-axis.

What is the purpose of the y-axis in a Kurie plot?

The y-axis in a Kurie plot represents the square root of the number of counts. This allows for a linear relationship between the y-axis and the electron energy on the x-axis, making it easier to analyze and interpret the data.

How is the y-axis calculated in a Kurie plot?

The y-axis in a Kurie plot is calculated by taking the square root of the number of counts for each data point. This transformation helps to normalize the data and create a linear relationship with the electron energy on the x-axis.

What does the slope of the y-axis in a Kurie plot represent?

The slope of the y-axis in a Kurie plot represents the maximum energy of the emitted electrons in the beta decay process. This value can be used to determine the mass of the parent nucleus and the energy released in the decay.

Why is time sometimes included on the y-axis in a Kurie plot?

In some cases, time is included on the y-axis in a Kurie plot to show the distribution of the beta decay events over time. This can provide additional information about the decay process and help to identify any potential systematic errors in the data.

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