Re: Ionization at 80 eV? (Yes)

[Wes Van Pelt <VanPeltW@IDT.NET>]

Dale E. Boyce wrote:
> 
> It is not so simple.  An 80 ev photon  or electron can easily ionize
> something, but it is the electric field not so much the potential
> that is important.
> 
> Think about it.  Gm tubes typically have 900 volts between the anode
> and
> cathode.  Proportional detectors I have used needed up to 4000 volts.
> Both of these need ionizing radiation to trigger an event.  The
> _field_
> is insufficient to ionize even though the potential is there.
> 
> Dale Boyce
> dale@radpro.uchicago.edu

Dale and Radsafers,

Yes, it is not so simple. 80 eV means a particle or photon has 80
electron volts of KINETIC ENERGY. Just having an electric field of X
volts does not mean that you will have an electron with a kinetic energy
of X eV. Think about it .... an ordinary electric wall socket has 117
volts ac, but no ionization.

Cheers, Wes

-- 
Wesley R. Van Pelt, Ph.D., CIH, CHP                KF2LG
President, Van Pelt Associates, Inc.     
Consulting in radiological health and safety.
mailto:VanPeltW@IDT.net        
http://shell.idt.net/~vanpeltw/index.html