Make Invisible Radiation Become Visible

Make Invisible Radiation Become Visible - Peltier Cloud Chamber

2019-05-25

[public] 497K views, 20.7K likes, 297 dislikes audio only

We are constantly bathed in a sea of particles of radiation but have no mechanism naturally to detect it. So it goes essentially unnoticed. But using only computer parts and stuff from the dollar store, it's possible to build a machine that can turn this invisible radiation visible and let us see particles come streaming off of radioactive material. That device is a cloud chamber.

This is a fun one day build if you have the right materials and these devices are mesmerizing to watch as naturally occurring particles zip through the chamber leaving trails of fog in the wake.

Some more resources:

Cloudylabs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGNvAEtYZkw

Info about radiation - http://www.world-nuclear.org/nuclear-basics/what-is-radiation.aspx

Another build that uses a single cascaded peltier - https://www.instructables.com/id/Peltier-Cooled-Cloud-Chamber/

Materials:

Peltiers - (100W) https://www.amazon.ca/TEC1-12710-Thermoelectric-Cooler-Peltier-154Wmax/dp/B01M0L8ABM

(60w) https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0087X728K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Heatsink - https://www.amazon.ca/Cooler-Master-Hyper-212-RR-212E-20PK-R2/dp/B005O65JXI/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=heat+sink&qid=1558793473&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Thermal paste - https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0087X728K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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