Recent content by Kosdon3200

Simple analogy: Two geared wheels of same size, and one gear of smaller size. Attach the small gear to one large gear, then use the other large gear to drive the small gear. The first large gear spins much faster than the second large gear. The first gear is the car and the second gear is...

Thanks for the question. My original thought process was to take the average lifetime of 2.2 ms multiplied by the speed of light, but as I learned through some great writing about this very topic my method was overly simplified. See here: Einsteins Relativity In The Palm Of Your Hand

UPDATE: While above I gush about Germany's Phywe cloud chambers, I've recently discovered a Czech manufacturer whose systems look gorgeous. Check out "Nuledo".

FYI as a follow-up to our cloud chamber discussion, I'm excited to report that this Friday I'm picking up a surplus ultra-low-temperature freezer from a Craigslist ad in hopes of converting it into a continuously-running museum quality cloud chamber something like the Phywe 80. This freezer, 5...

I've answered my question about the continuous pattern of N-S oriented muons thanks to the following document: https://www.classe.cornell.edu/rsrc/Home/Outreach/LessonPlans/cloudchamber.pdf Short version: trapped in the Van Allen belts

I'm really impressed with the design of your cloud chamber. I too had tried to use cascaded TECs but I wasn't impressed with my somewhat lame attempt and given my impatience I've been using the dry ice method ever since. Yours has inspired me to rethink my earlier ideas about a handheld TEC...

Dave! I know it's been a long time since we touched base on this, however I wanted to send you a note that I've found the definitive reasoning behind the high voltage field. It is buried in an early publication from Cambridge University Press circa 1951 entitled "The Principles of Cloud...

In addition to the usual alpha and beta particles visible in my condensation cloud chamber, I see occasional tracks that seem highly energetic -they easily penetrate the entire width of the cloud chamber (10-12 inches) going in one side and out the other. More mysteriously, their orientation is...

What you see with an Americium button is mainly beta decay, because the alpha particles are being shielded for safety. You can see the effect of shielding by using a Thorium doped welding rod where 1/2 of the length of rod is also encased in typical heat-shrink tubing. From the uncovered end...

Hi Dave, Thanks for your response and your question. As to whether or not the HV field is required, as we discussed above, it is possible to get a cloud chamber to work without one, it's just far more difficult to do so. I suspect that the HV removes stray ionization in the ambient...

I should clarify: you don't NEED the HV clearing field, but when you use it your chamber will work about 300% more effectively and that can make all the difference.

I've built about 15 cloud chambers and have the solution for you: it's that you need a high voltage clearing field. Try this: inflate a common rubber balloon, rub it against your hair, and bring it near the cloud chamber. I discovered this requirement when I moved from a plastic walled...