On the interpretation and use of neutron calibration coefficients

R B Schwartz1, J C McDonald

  • 1National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8463, USA.

Related Concept Videos

Uncertainty in Measurement: Reading Instruments02:46

Uncertainty in Measurement: Reading Instruments

Counting is the type of measurement that is free from uncertainty, provided the number of objects being counted does not change during the process. Such measurements result in exact numbers. By counting the eggs in a carton, for instance, one can determine exactly how many eggs are there in the carton. Similarly, the numbers of defined quantities are also exact. For example, 1 foot is exactly 12 inches, 1 inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters, and 1 gram is exactly 0.001 kilograms. Quantities...
Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations03:18

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations

Nuclear chemistry is the study of reactions that involve changes in nuclear structure. The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and, except for hydrogen, neutrons. The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number (Z) of the element, and the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are isotopes of the same element.
A nuclide of an element has a specific number of protons and...
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Population Distribution01:14

Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Population Distribution

Near absolute zero temperatures, in the presence of a magnetic field, the majority of nuclei prefer the lower energy spin-up state to the higher energy spin-down state. As temperatures increase, the energy from thermal collisions distributes the spins more equally between the two states. The Boltzmann distribution equation gives the ratio of the number of spins predicted in the spin −½ (N−) and spin +½ (N+) states.
Calibration Curves: Linear Least Squares01:20

Calibration Curves: Linear Least Squares

A calibration curve is a plot of the instrument's response against a series of known concentrations of a substance. This curve is used to set the instrument response levels, using the substance and its concentrations as standards. Alternatively, or additionally, an equation is fitted to the calibration curve plot and subsequently used to calculate the unknown concentrations of other samples reliably.
For data that follow a straight line, the standard method for fitting is the linear...
Calibration Curves: Correlation Coefficient01:10

Calibration Curves: Correlation Coefficient

In a linear calibration curve, there is a value called the calibration coefficient, denoted by 'r,' which measures the strength and the direction of association between two variables. The correlation coefficient value ranges from −1 to +1. A value of +1 indicates a perfect positive linear correlation, −1 denotes a perfect negative correlation, and 0 implies no correlation between the two variables. A positive correlation value establishes that as one variable increases, the other increases, and...
Instrument Calibration01:12

Instrument Calibration

Instrument calibration is essential for ensuring that instruments produce accurate and consistent results. It is vital in manufacturing, healthcare, testing laboratories, and scientific research. Calibration processes are specific to each instrument and help enhance data accuracy. Each instrument has a unique calibration process tailored to its design and function to improve data accuracy.
Analytical Balance Calibration
An analytical balance measures mass and requires regular calibration to...