The Wilson cloud chamber is an apparatus used for detecting and observing the trails of alpha/beta rays or even cosmic rays in saturated gas conditions. The principle of this device is based upon the powerful ionization of the aforementioned rays within the medium. This article will provide instruction for creating a classic version of the cloud chamber using a glass food container and dry ice. Some common malfunctions and disadvantages of the classic version will be discussed. Moreover, this article will introduce an improvement of the cloud chamber using the Peltier chip as an alternative for dry ice, and also compare the pros and cons of these two methods.
References
1.
Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam
, General Education Program in Physics in Vietnam
, 1st ed. (Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam
, Hanoi
, 2018
), p. 1
.2.
R.
Millar
, “The role of practical work in the teaching and learning of science,” Commissioned paper, Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision
, National Academy of Sciences
, Washington DC
(2004
).3.
A.
Franklin
and S.
Perovic
, “Experiment in Physics,” in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
(Stanford University
, 2015
).4.
I. T.
Koponen
and T.
Mäntylä
, “Generative role of experiments in physics and in teaching physics: A suggestion for epistemological reconstruction
,” Sci. Educ.
15
(1
), 31
–54
(2006
).5.
F.
Green
, “Making a fish tank cloud chamber
,” Phys. Educ.
47
(3
), 338
(2012
).6.
S.
Zeze
, A.
Itoh
, A.
Oyama
, and H.
Takahashi
, “A sensitive cloud chamber without radioactive sources
,” Phys. Educ.
47
(5
), 574
(2012
).7.
M.
Kamata
and M.
Kubota
, “Simple cloud chambers using gel ice packs
,” Phys. Educ.
47
(4
), 429
(2012
).8.
S. Y.
Nar
and A.
Cakir
, “Peltier-based cloud chamber
,” AIP Conf. Proc.
1935
(1
), 180003
(Feb.
2018
).9.
M.
Longair
, “CTR Wilson and the cloud chamber
,” Astropart. Phys.
53
, 55
–60
(2014
).10.
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
, “SAFETY GUIDE: Use of Radiation in Schools
,” Radiation Protection Series Publication No. 18
(June 2012
), p. 2
.11.
International Atomic Energy Agency
, Categorization of Radioactive Sources,
1st ed. (IAEA
, Vienna
, 2001
), pp. 13
–29
.12.
I.
Abrahams
, M. J.
Reiss
, and R. M.
Sharpe
, “The assessment of practical work in school science
,” Stud. Sci. Educ.
49
(2
), 209
–251
(Nov.
2013
).© 2022 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by American Association of Physics Teachers.
2022
Author(s)
AAPT members receive access to The Physics Teacher and the American Journal of Physics as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.