Experimental Data Analysis Lab

Lab Goals

The goals of this lab are to explore the statistical properties of counting random events.

Lab Manifest

• Radioactive samples
• Vernier Digital Radiation Monitors (Geiger tubes)
• LoggerPro and LabPro (for data acquisition)
• linfit.m MATLAB function
• Lab Handout

General Instructions

The lab handout, linked above, gives detailed instructions for this lab. There are four main tasks for this lab, which can be done separately.

The first task is to measure background levels with the Geiger counter and establish that the distribution of events seen in a given time interval follows a Poisson distribution. The second task is to verify the Gaussian approximation with width given by sqrt(n) by increasing the counting rate using a radioactive source. Third, we want to verify the inverse square law for the flux of particles through the detector. Finally, the attenuation of ionizing radiation through material will be measured.

Code Assignment

There is no explicit code assignment for this lab, although I do ask you to overlay a Poisson distribution on a histogram of data. This may be a bit tricky to figure out, so use your Pratap book if necessary (section 6.1.5 may be of some help). Also, you need to perform some linear fits to extract parameters with uncertainties. The linfit.m function should save you having to write your own function for this.

Errata

For reference, the Users Guide and Extended Users Manual for the Digital Radiation Monitors are available from Vernier.