Count rate basically means the count of radiation per time (alpha, beta, gamma or all) measured using a Geiger Muller tube and counter which looks like this:
Count of radiation means the number of atoms decayed by a radioactive material. This can be calculated by measuring/counting the number of alpha/beta/gamma particles emitted.
For your information, what happens in the Geiger Muller tube is that the tube is filled with gases like helium, neon or argon at low pressure with high voltage. When ionising radiation passes through these gases, the tube briefly conducts electrical charge, as the radiation makes the gas conductive by ionisation. Then, the counter measures the number of electrical charge conducted, which represents the value of radiation count.
It is true that a radioactive material emits radiation in random directions; however, Geiger counter can measure the count of radiation emitted towards a certain direction, which can somehow accurately represent the amount of radiation emitted.
As count rate is a form of rate, it is calculated by (radiation count)/(time). Usually, counts per second (cps) is used as the unit for it. However, if the tube is exposed to and measuring high level of radiation, counts per minute (cpm) may be used as the unit of for radiation count rate.
In addition, as count rate includes all radiation (including background radiation), if you want to measure radiation count from a certain source you should subtract the background radiation count from the total radiation count, and then divide it by time to obtain the count rate.
Hi Maira, the count rate is the number of decays recorded each second by a detector. The radioactive material can be detected using a Geiger-Muller tube connected to a counter (I think your teacher may have demonstrated this to you in class). I hope this is what you were asking for:>
Thank you so much Rose and Minseong, this helps :))
Hi Maira, thank you for your question.
Count rate basically means the count of radiation per time (alpha, beta, gamma or all) measured using a Geiger Muller tube and counter which looks like this:
Count of radiation means the number of atoms decayed by a radioactive material. This can be calculated by measuring/counting the number of alpha/beta/gamma particles emitted.
For your information, what happens in the Geiger Muller tube is that the tube is filled with gases like helium, neon or argon at low pressure with high voltage. When ionising radiation passes through these gases, the tube briefly conducts electrical charge, as the radiation makes the gas conductive by ionisation. Then, the counter measures the number of electrical charge conducted, which represents the value of radiation count.
It is true that a radioactive material emits radiation in random directions; however, Geiger counter can measure the count of radiation emitted towards a certain direction, which can somehow accurately represent the amount of radiation emitted.
As count rate is a form of rate, it is calculated by (radiation count)/(time). Usually, counts per second (cps) is used as the unit for it. However, if the tube is exposed to and measuring high level of radiation, counts per minute (cpm) may be used as the unit of for radiation count rate.
In addition, as count rate includes all radiation (including background radiation), if you want to measure radiation count from a certain source you should subtract the background radiation count from the total radiation count, and then divide it by time to obtain the count rate.
Does this answer your question?
Hi Maira, the count rate is the number of decays recorded each second by a detector. The radioactive material can be detected using a Geiger-Muller tube connected to a counter (I think your teacher may have demonstrated this to you in class). I hope this is what you were asking for:>