Neutron gun..

[Gunnaras]

So..

Take a lead block they said...

 

Drill a hole and drop americium in it they said..

 

Cover the hole with aluminum foil and you have a neutron gun...

 

 

My question would be, what can i use it for maybe some other new experiments.

 

if you have any great ideas tell me please. i will give you the results of following.

 

becouse basically there is nothing about the neutron gun in google

[swansont]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_source

[Mosheh Thezion]

apparently... Am 241... yields alpha particles...

but.. Am wrapped in Be... will yield good neutrons.

 

What is key... is to determine the Mev of the neutrons... as 10Mev... will require 4 inches of lead.

5 Mev.. 2 inches.. etc...

 

Typical Am241...(from smoke detectors) emits alpha particles mostly, and would be a weak neutron source.

 

I would not recommend playing with it, as its not a toy... and used in the wrong way, could be bad.

 

A better neutron source, is something like... http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/neutronGenerator.html

which can be turned off... but again... NOT A TOY.

 

 

-Mosheh Thezion

[Gunnaras]

apparently... Am 241... yields alpha particles...

but.. Am wrapped in Be... will yield good neutrons.

 

What is key... is to determine the Mev of the neutrons... as 10Mev... will require 4 inches of lead.

5 Mev.. 2 inches.. etc...

 

Typical Am241...(from smoke detectors) emits alpha particles mostly, and would be a weak neutron source.

 

I would not recommend playing with it, as its not a toy... and used in the wrong way, could be bad.

 

A better neutron source, is something like... http://www.lbl.gov/S...nGenerator.html

which can be turned off... but again... NOT A TOY.

 

 

-Mosheh Thezion

 

listen... i have no intentions to use it in bad ways... i,m only interested in things i can do with it such as placing different materials in front of it an see whats happens... thats why i ask you guys what purpose does a thing like this suit? i saw the nuclear scout video on youtube.. but that is nothing that interest me....

[questionposter]

Is it even possible to damage people with only neutrons? Alpha particles bounce right off of you, and neutrinos fly right through you...

[Mosheh Thezion]

listen... i have no intentions to use it in bad ways... i,m only interested in things i can do with it such as placing different materials in front of it an see whats happens... thats why i ask you guys what purpose does a thing like this suit? i saw the nuclear scout video on youtube.. but that is nothing that interest me....

 

Um sir... you can do very little, AND YOU WILL NOT SEE ANYTHING, unless you have advanced equipment to see something...

what you can do.. is.. transmute matter.... create isotopes, etc... but there will be nothing to see.

 

it is generally used to test pipes... and stuff like that, to test for cracks etc.

 

if you want visuals... i suggest you get a cloud chamber... and that.. should allow you to see streaks... as the nuetrons fly threw it, and causes some disturbances.

 

personally, i would not play with it, because neutrons are bad for your health, and so is lead, and so would be any isotopes produced.

 

in fact... while 4 inches of lead may stop them, they can fly for meters... many meters in air... so could... fly into the next room, and irradiate friends and family. which is not cool.

 

 

 

 

 

[swansont]

Is it even possible to damage people with only neutrons? Alpha particles bounce right off of you, and neutrinos fly right through you...

Neutrons are uncharged so they easily penetrate. They do a fair amount of damage. Alphas don't bounce off you, the get absorbed at the surface which is typically (at worst) dead skin. But swallowing an alpha source is not good. With a neutron source there is no such distinction.

[questionposter]

Neutrons are uncharged so they easily penetrate. They do a fair amount of damage. Alphas don't bounce off you, the get absorbed at the surface which is typically (at worst) dead skin. But swallowing an alpha source is not good. With a neutron source there is no such distinction.

 

But if they are uncharged, wouldn't they penetrate to the point where they would simply pass through you like neutrinos and dark matter and etc?

[Mosheh Thezion]

before playing with Neutrons... you should at least read...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_radiation

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_scattering

[swansont]

But if they are uncharged, wouldn't they penetrate to the point where they would simply pass through you like neutrinos and dark matter and etc?

Neutrinos interact only via the weak force, which is very short-ranged. Dark matter interacts only gravitationally. Neutrons, though, interact via the strong force. The cross-section for interaction is much larger.

[Joshua Guertler]

From what I have learned, the most successful neutron guns have been produced at home using radium paint (found in glow in the dark clocks at antique stores) placed inside of a thick lead box. A hole can be made in one side where the alpha particles will escape and will meet with a piece of beryllium foil. I caution you though, don't play around with radioactive materials and radiation (especially neutron radiation) unless you know how to use it and what safety precautions to take.

Also, as a quick question to all on this forum, is there any research available online concerning what metals would be best for converting alpha particles to neutrons? This would be some research comparing different metals to see which would be most efficient for generating the neutrons.

[sci-man]

this is cool

On 8/22/2017 at 1:47 PM, Joshua Guertler said:

From what I have learned, the most successful neutron guns have been produced at home using radium paint (found in glow in the dark clocks at antique stores) placed inside of a thick lead box. A hole can be made in one side where the alpha particles will escape and will meet with a piece of beryllium foil. I caution you though, don't play around with radioactive materials and radiation (especially neutron radiation) unless you know how to use it and what safety precautions to take.

Also, as a quick question to all on this forum, is there any research available online concerning what metals would be best for converting alpha particles to neutrons? This would be some research comparing different metals to see which would be most efficient for generating the neutrons.

 

wondering what to do with mine

could use it for science or otherthings

 

whr should i do

 

 

 

Just now, sci-man said:

this is cool

 

wondering what to do with mine

could use it for science or otherthings

 

what should i do

 

 

 

 

Just now, sci-man said:

this is cool

 

wondering what to do with mine

could use it for science or otherthings

 

what should i do

 

 

 

 

Just now, sci-man said:

this is cool

 

wondering what to do with mine

could use it for science or otherthings

 

what should i do

 

 

[MigL]

You should get rid of it until you learn about the dangers of radiation.
Radioactive materials, even glow-in-the dark Radium paint and Americium from smoke detectors can seriously affect the long-term health of a pre-teen.
( and if you want to have kids someday, don't keep it in your pockets )

[tinkerer]

On 10/4/2017 at 11:42 AM, MigL said:

You should get rid of it until you learn about the dangers of radiation.
Radioactive materials, even glow-in-the dark Radium paint and Americium from smoke detectors can seriously affect the long-term health of a pre-teen.
( and if you want to have kids someday, don't keep it in your pockets )

Old thread, however, still important: The mantles used in Coleman gasoline lamps are silk treated with Thorium Oxide. It glows nice and white when heated sufficiently, at the same time releasing Radon gas.........