This Radioactive Isotope is... Sneaky

Polonium 210 is as amazing as it is spooky because it is very hard to detect.

[zmarfion]

i will not be eating the forbidden mentos flavour.

[elirevzen]

The fact that United Nuclear is the only reputable website I know that sells those isotope pucks to private individuals makes me hope for this channel to get a sponsorship with them or at least a collaboration

[RollMeAFat]

Fun fact, alpha particles are used in smoke detectors! Because they aren’t very penetrating, smoke is enough to stop them. When the alpha sensor is obscured by smoke, it triggers the alarm

[revcrussell]

The company I work for is producing Ac-225 so these alpha particles can be deployed directly to tumours.

[kathleendanford]

Oh my favorite subject...you see I am a atomic baby. So yes not pentrating unlike colbalt 60 or 57.

[DragonXero]

I do like that you explained the cloud chamber and all, but I am a bit sad you didn't explain that Alpha Particles just don't have enough energy to penetrate the outer layers of skin, which is why they're relatively safe to handle.

[Foof]

Alpha particles have a quality factor of 20 and are stopped by skin cells or thicker. If you ingest it or it hits your eyes it does massive damage. Quality factor of gamma, sun radiation, is 1. Fast neutrons is 10. Pretty solid damage

[morvran]

Fun fact. Polonium was named after Poland by Marie Curie-Skłodowska. Just like Germanium after Germany.

[bradlemmond]

Masking tape stops the Alpha particles.

Not very ALPHA of them.

[Spotifist]

Cloud Chambers are so I could stare at them for hours. Thanks for sharing!

[miscbits]

polonium is most commonly found in a smoker's lungs

[debfamilia]

The way you say "out", you're either Canadian or a u-per (upper michigan peninsula)

[darylhudson]

I remember back in 2004 when Viktor Yushchenko, the third president of Ukraine, he leaned toward Western ideals and thus was poisoned by his enemies with Dioxin and it broke out his face like a bunch of major pimples he was scarred and disfigured.

[somerandomguywithatelescop]

This has helped improve my day, I thank you for this.

[theCodyReeder]

It's cool how they all stop at about the same distance! I wonder, can a cloud chamber still work at a different atmospheric pressure or composition?That should change the distance right?

[jond]

Love that you use the GQ meter, I have several, even have one that has been connected to a computer recording the background levels and it has been connected since 1985. Live in Portland. OR. US and saw the background levels go up during Fukushima, and Chernobyl. Have collected Rad meters for many years I have a sample test piece from 1950's, it is black Bakelite with a dab of brown paste in a hole in the center covered with a piece of clear plastic. it has a stamp on the back of .16 and consistently reads 2150 CPM. so it has outputted this reading the entire time I have had it and most likely did since the 50's .History is cool

[mitsunam]

You also found this in your cigarettes as well.

[TheXNoLimiTatioNx]

Radon in home is dangerous for lung cells for this reason, po releases alpha from 214 and 218. But its measured in pCi/L. Measurable by CRM and others such as alpha track detectors. Alphas cant really go through paper really, so they count the pit marks on the alpha track plastic puck under 100x microscope. Very interesting stuff.

[emmelsmusic]

Tea for one?

Everyone sit at the other end of the table!!

[Vasim]

The isotope has quite short half-life (138 days) and decays into ordinary lead, leaving almost no traces after few years. And naturally occurs in tabacco, so even if detected without analyzing where and amount can be blamed on smoking.