- #1
Sean Reed
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Using a small germanium gamma ray detector I have been collecting data on some newly acquired gamma decay sources. The program I have been using gives me a plot of counts vs energy (well channel, but the channels are proportional to the energy) Thus after collecting data I have a bell shaped curve with the peak centered near or on the energy of the decay I am looking at. What I am confused on is what importance in this does the FWHM have with regards to the source its self? I know some of the cause of the curve is noise in the equipment, but what meaning does it have with the source.
I feel like there is some meaning the FWHM has about the source because I used a large detector to measure the decays per second of the source, then I had to switch to a small detector and when I did I only looked at the FWHM of the curves.
Any help is greatly appreciated
I feel like there is some meaning the FWHM has about the source because I used a large detector to measure the decays per second of the source, then I had to switch to a small detector and when I did I only looked at the FWHM of the curves.
Any help is greatly appreciated