Detecting radiation with a snow globe
Channel: Carl Willis
Date: 18/10/2021

The static charges that build up on a decorative snowglobe are dissipated when a strong radiation source is brought near, causing the polystyrene balls clinging to the face to fall off.  This phenomenon was exploited in a class of commercial radiation detectors sold as "fallout detectors" during the Cold War, which were triboelectrically charged by shaking plastic balls in a tube made of dissimilar material.  Typical instructions warned the user to "seek shelter when balls drop."  Finally, we illustrate the use of a strong radiation source in an antique Walkie RecordAll dictaphone to dissipate static charges  on the plastic band recording medium that would cause dust to stick to it.

For more great nuclear technical videos from the NE faculty at the University of New Mexico, please visit my colleague Chris Perfetti here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY5CCBECGHM3Fb4ixZ6CH0g

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