Radium standard

A radium standard is a unique sample of a radioactive substance that is used in scientific research for radiation measurement and dosimetry. It is a point source of radiation enclosed in a platinum ampoule.

Radium is a radioactive element that was discovered in 1898 by French physicist Henri Becquerel. Radium has a very high level of radioactivity and is capable of emitting alpha particles and beta particles. These particles are highly energetic and can cause ionization of atoms in the environment.

A radium standard represents 1 milligram of radium in equilibrium with its decay products. It is enclosed in a platinum capsule 0.5 millimeters thick. Platinum has high chemical resistance and does not react with radioactive substances. This allows the radium standard to be stored for a long time without changing its properties.

To measure radiation levels, a dosimeter is used, which measures the amount of particles entering the human body. The dosimeter can be configured to measure radiation levels in different ranges. For example, it can measure levels of alpha particles, beta particles or gamma radiation.

Using a radium standard allows scientists to make accurate measurements of radiation levels under different conditions. For example, scientists can use a radium standard to measure radiation levels at nuclear facilities or medical facilities. The radium standard is also used to calibrate dosimeters and other instruments that measure radiation levels.

Overall, the radium standard is an important tool for scientific research and medical diagnostics. It allows scientists to obtain accurate data on background radiation and radiation levels in different places.

The radium standard is the most dense and pure source of radioactive radiation, intended for accurate measurements of the activity and dose characteristics of sources of ionizing radiation. It is a tiny radium crystal (or rather a “mixture” of radium-226, radium-238 and radium-alpha crystals) of small mass (about 1 milligram), evenly distributed in a small volume of metal (platinum about 0.5 millimeters thick), after heating and stabilization of the atomization conditions of this source during its storage.

The advantage over other methods is that since radium is retained in a high purity aerosol phase, the equivalent thickness of proton and gamma radiation at the detector surface is quite large even compared to cases where gaseous sources (e.g. cobalt-60) are used.

The radium standard plays an important role in medicine and is a very valuable scientific instrument. For example, it is used