Half-life measurements with ionization chambers--a study of systematic effects and results

H Schrader1

  • 1Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, Braunschweig 38116, Germany. heinrich.schrader@ptb.de

Related Concept Videos

Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating02:48

Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating

Radioactivity is a spontaneous disintegration of an unstable nuclide and is a random process, as all the nuclei in the sample do not decay simultaneously. The number of disintegrations per unit time is called the activity (A), which is directly proportional to the number of nuclei in the sample. The decay constant (λ) is an average probability of decay per nucleus in unit time.
Mass Analyzers: Common Types01:19

Mass Analyzers: Common Types

The quadrupole mass analyzer consists of four cylindrical metal rods arranged in a diamond carrying a DC voltage and a radio-frequency AC voltage. The motion of ions through the quadrupole depends on the field strength, causing only ions of a certain m/z to resonate successfully and strike the detector at a given field strength. Though the transmission rate for these analyzers is high, the exact elemental composition of the sample is not determined because of low resolution; however, they are...
Measuring Reaction Rates03:09

Measuring Reaction Rates

Polarimetry finds application in chemical kinetics to measure the concentration and reaction kinetics of optically active substances during a chemical reaction. Optically active substances have the capability of rotating the plane of polarization of linearly polarized light passing through them—a feature called optical rotation. Optical activity is attributed to the molecular structure of substances. Normal monochromatic light is unpolarized and possesses oscillations of the electrical field in...
One-Compartment Open Model for IV Bolus Administration: Estimation of Elimination Rate Constant, Half-Life and Volume of Distribution01:09

One-Compartment Open Model for IV Bolus Administration: Estimation of Elimination Rate Constant, Half-Life and Volume of Distribution

The one-compartment open model is a simplified approach used in pharmacokinetics to understand the distribution and elimination of a drug administered through an intravenous bolus. This model assumes rapid drug dispersal throughout the body and elimination using a first-order process. Key pharmacokinetic parameters, such as the elimination rate constant (k), half-life (t1/2), and the apparent volume of distribution (Vd), can be estimated from this model. The elimination rate is calculated from...
Half-life of a Reaction02:42

Half-life of a Reaction

The half-life of a reaction (t1/2) is the time required for one-half of a given amount of reactant to be consumed. In each succeeding half-life, half of the remaining concentration of the reactant is consumed. For example, during the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, during the first half-life (from 0.00 hours to 6.00 hours), the concentration of H2O2 decreases from 1.000 M to 0.500 M. During the second half-life (from 6.00 hours to 12.00 hours), the concentration decreases from 0.500 M to...
Biological Effects of Radiation02:59

Biological Effects of Radiation

All radioactive nuclides emit high-energy particles or electromagnetic waves. When this radiation encounters living cells, it can cause heating, break chemical bonds, or ionize molecules. The most serious biological damage results when these radioactive emissions fragment or ionize molecules. For example, α and β particles emitted from nuclear decay reactions possess much higher energies than ordinary chemical bond energies. When these particles strike and penetrate matter, they produce ions...