Can Alpha Emitters Cause Nearby Gasses to Glow?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around whether alpha emitters can cause nearby gases, such as air, to become excited and glow, similar to the effects observed with radium or tritium. Participants explore the potential for using alpha emitters in applications like torchlights and the materials that might be suitable for such purposes.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire if alpha emitters can excite gases to glow, referencing radium as an example.
  • One participant suggests that while radium glows in water, it may not cause air to glow.
  • Another participant mentions that scintillators work for solids and liquids but expresses uncertainty about suitable gases, suggesting that active sources might cause air to glow due to temperature effects.
  • A participant asks about the feasibility of creating a weak torchlight using a piece of americium-241, seeking clarification on materials needed for such a device.
  • Responses indicate skepticism about the safety and effectiveness of using americium-241 for this purpose, with concerns about radiation exposure and the limitations of the source.
  • One participant highlights the risks of handling alpha sources, emphasizing the dangers of inhalation or ingestion.
  • There is a mention of the decay rate of smoke detectors and the potential visibility of radiation effects in dark conditions, but doubts are raised about visibility in daylight.
  • Another participant warns against using radioactive sources for torches without proper knowledge and safety measures, ultimately leading to the closure of the thread.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the ability of alpha emitters to cause gases to glow, with no consensus reached on the feasibility or safety of using americium-241 in torchlight applications. Concerns about safety and handling radioactive materials are generally agreed upon.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of clarity on the specific conditions under which gases might glow and the dependence on the characteristics of the alpha emitter used. The discussion also reflects uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of americium-241 compared to other radiation sources.

Garlic
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Hello everyone,
Can alpha emitters cause nearby (gasses or air) to be excited and glow like Radium or Tritium? Is there certain chemicals (maybe like phosphor) that are suitable for it?
 
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Well, radium is an alpha emitter. And does it make air glow? I think it might not. (It will glow in water)
 
For solids and liquids it is easy, scintillators work that way. Not sure if you find suitable gases, but I would expect them to exist.
If your source is active enough, the air starts to glow just from its temperature but then you have other problems.
 
I understand. Can I make a (weak) torchlight using my Am-241 piece?
 
I don't know what you mean with "my Am-241 piece", but certainly not.
 
mfb said:
I don't know what you mean with "my Am-241 piece", but certainly not.

The only radiation source I could find, I dismantled a smoke detector to get it.

What I wrote was unclear I think, I mean, there are betalight torches that use a beta radiation source (tritium for example) and phosphor. What I'm asking is, can a torch using an alpha emitter (in my case it is a really small piece of americium-with 1 mm diameter) be done? What materials should I use?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einsteinium#/media/File:Einsteinium.jpg
Here it shows Einsteinium-253 in a quartz vial that glows because of the alpha radiation.

Or is Americium-241 too weak to excite materials in order to create a glow?
 
You do realize that you are counting on the original shield and only the original shield to protect you when handling that source. Inhaling or ingesting an alpha source is just about the worst thing you can do with it.

A smoke detector gives off about 30,000 decays per second. If you let them impinge on a phosphor in a totally dark room with dark adapted eyes, you might see something. It's very unlikely to see anything in daylight.
 
Radiation levels that are safe to handle are not suitable for torches. You should not work with radioactive sources without the necessary knowledge how to protect yourself from the radiation, and we won't help you with dangerous activities here.
I closed the thread.
 

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