GoKawiilA sea of sparks: Seeing radioactivity
2025-12-14
2026-01-25
Atoms are very small[citation needed]. Seeing individual atoms is completly impossible: They are thousands of times smaller smaller then the wavelength of light.
... but is it possible to see an atom do something?
Lots of chemical reactions glow, but none of them are bright enough to see single atoms... but what about nuclear reactions...
Heavy elements like uranium often decay by the emission of a helium nucleus. This alpha particle is ejected with around a picojoule of kinetic energy: just about enough to produce a visible flash.
From left to right: Alpha source, scintillation screen and magnifying glass.
I used a 37 kBq of americium from a smoke detector as a source of alpha particles. Other options are old radium paint or pieces of uranium ore with exposed mineralization.
Small quantities of radioactive material aren't super dangerous, but can be harmful if ingested. They should be handled with the same care as any other poisonous chemicals.
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