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Geiger counter

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Geiger counter

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Also known as Geiger-Müller counter

instrument used for measuring ionizing radiation

AI overview

A Geiger counter is a device that detects and measures ionizing radiation, such as that produced by radioactive materials. It matters because it helps people identify and assess the presence of radiation in their environment, which is important for safety in medical, industrial, and research settings.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

Named after
Walther Müller
Image
Geiger counter 2.jpg
Has parts of class
counter
Show 4 more facts
discoverer or inventor
Walther Müller
Commons category
Geiger counters
inception
1928-00-00
Sources (3)

via Wikidata · CC0

~17 min read

Encyclopedic overview

The sound of a geiger counter A Geiger counter (/ˈɡaɪɡər/, GY-gər; also known as a Geiger–Müller counter or G-M counter) is an electronic instrument for detecting and measuring ionizing radiation with the use of a Geiger–Müller tube. It is widely used in applications such as radiation dosimetry, radiological protection, experimental physics and the nuclear industry.

It detects ionizing radiation such as alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays using the ionization effect produced in a Geiger–Müller tube, which gives its name to the instrument.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Geiger counter” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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