my son has taken apart an old smoke alarm cos he wants the sounder out of it
for a project. I notice the detector element has "radioactive" engraved on
its cover. He's taken the element apsrt and I'm wondering is this dangerous
to handle, or even be near?

"steve marchant" wrote in message
...
my son has taken apart an old smoke alarm cos he wants the sounder out of
it for a project. I notice the detector element has "radioactive" engraved
on its cover. He's taken the element apsrt and I'm wondering is this
dangerous to handle, or even be near?



Your smoke detector contains a small amount of Americium. It is not
dangerous.

http://www.uic.com.au/nip35.htm

"DBLEXPOSURE" wrote in message
...
Your smoke detector contains a small amount of Americium. It is not
dangerous.

http://www.uic.com.au/nip35.htm

Phew! Thanks. I was quite worried.

"steve marchant" schreef in bericht
...

"DBLEXPOSURE" wrote in message
...
Your smoke detector contains a small amount of Americium. It is not
dangerous.

http://www.uic.com.au/nip35.htm

Phew! Thanks. I was quite worried.

Don't worry about radiation, until you start getting green, giving light or
start growing out of proportion

steve marchant wrote:

my son has taken apart an old smoke alarm cos he wants the sounder out of it
for a project. I notice the detector element has "radioactive" engraved on
its cover. He's taken the element apsrt and I'm wondering is this dangerous
to handle, or even be near?


The detector contains a low power radioactive alpha emitter. It is safe
when inside the ali housing, as alphas dont penetrate much. The housing
absorbs them all. But when its removed the body will absorb the alphas
when close or touching. How safe that is depends on the level of
emissions. Of all radioactive particles, alphas are the most absorbed
(100%) and thus cause more damage per particle than betas and gammas.
OTOH the output will be very low.

If he wants to play with it it ideally ought to be in a housing such
that the direct emission path from souce to body is blocked. Sheet
aluminium is enough to do this, no lead needed. The universe showers us
with radioactive gamma particles continuously at a low level, so
exposure to a few alphas are nothing to freak about.

The other plus with a housing is it prevents it being eaten, which
would be dangerous.

Balance all this against the positive effects of the source:
1. he can learn lots, develop interest, and maybe end up in a good job.
2. he can see in the dark when hes glowing green


NT

wrote in message
oups.com...
steve marchant wrote:

my son has taken apart an old smoke alarm cos he wants the sounder out of
it
for a project. I notice the detector element has "radioactive" engraved
on
its cover. He's taken the element apsrt and I'm wondering is this
dangerous
to handle, or even be near?


The detector contains a low power radioactive alpha emitter. It is safe
when inside the ali housing, as alphas dont penetrate much. The housing
absorbs them all. But when its removed the body will absorb the alphas
when close or touching. How safe that is depends on the level of
emissions. Of all radioactive particles, alphas are the most absorbed
(100%) and thus cause more damage per particle than betas and gammas.
OTOH the output will be very low.

If he wants to play with it it ideally ought to be in a housing such
that the direct emission path from souce to body is blocked. Sheet
aluminium is enough to do this, no lead needed. The universe showers us
with radioactive gamma particles continuously at a low level, so
exposure to a few alphas are nothing to freak about.

The other plus with a housing is it prevents it being eaten, which
would be dangerous.

Balance all this against the positive effects of the source:
1. he can learn lots, develop interest, and maybe end up in a good job.
2. he can see in the dark when hes glowing green


NT




The other plus with a housing is it prevents it being eaten, which
would be dangerous.


Even swallowing the radioactive material from a smoke detector would not
lead to significant internal absorption of Am-241, since the dioxide is
insoluble. It will pass through the digestive tract, without delivering a
significant radiation dose. (Americium-241 is however a potentially
dangerous isotope if it is taken into the body in soluble form. It decays by
both alpha activity and gamma emissions and it would concentrate in the
skeleton.)

http://www.uic.com.au/nip35.htm