The deflection of beta radiation in a magnetic field with Cobra SMARTsense

Principle

An angular scale is used to investigate the deflection of beta rays in the magnetic field.

Benefits

• Especially understandable and didactically prepared description of the experiment (relevance to everyday life, etc.) including protocol questions.
• Future-oriented teaching: Integration into digital science lessons with tablets or smartphones.
• Increased motivation of students by using the intuitive measureAPP.
• Increased media competence.

Tasks

The students investigate the deflection of beta rays in the magnetic field by moving the Geiger-Müller counter tube on the angular scale of the mounting plate and detecting the pulse rate.

Learning Objectives

In this experiment, various findings can be conveyed:

• β rays consist of electrically charged particles because they are deflected by a magnet.
• Since the direction of the deflection is opposite to the direction expected according to the three-finger rule, β particles have a negative charge.
• The stronger the magnetic field, the greater the deflection. When the field direction is changed, the deflection is also in the opposite direction.
• The β particles have different energy values because they are deflected to different degrees.