What Is A Geiger Counter Used For?
A Geiger counter measures background radiation in the environment and also measures radiation levels present in living things. This device is also referred to as a Geiger-Mueller counter or G-M counter.HistoryHans Geiger invented the Geiger counter in the 1920s with the help of W. Mueller, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.TypesNewer Geiger counters have digital readout screens showing radioactivity levels. Older models have a screen that uses a needle to show the range of radioactivity levels.Physical FeaturesA Geiger counter can fit in a surveyor’s hand. The measuring unit has a device attached to it that resembles a wand with a receiver at the end.FunctionThe tube of the Geiger counter contains electrodes that have a dormant electrical charge. When the device detects radiation, a current passes through the electrodes, and the number of pulses detected per second shows the intensity of the radiation, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.Considerations
