Your instructor will provide you with a more exact description of the hazards associated with radioactivity. Assemble your detector as the model is set up in the laboratory. The cord to the detector tube fits into the receptacle on the back panel of the readout instrument. There is a threaded ring for making sure that the cord is securely attached. Follow the directions carefully to set up the G-M tube.
Detectors require a warm-up period of several minutes.
Place the beta source on the tray on the third notch from the top. Position the detector at the top of the rack. Note the voltage setting. The apparatus is now ready to begin experimentation. There is a continual shower of background radiation present in the environment due to cosmic rays and other sources.