I have one question if anyone cares to answer it...
"Dr. Hahn" built what he thought was, and has been reported to be, a "neutron gun"
As it decays, americium-241 emits alpha rays composed of protons and neutrons. David put the lump of americium inside a hollow block of lead with a tiny hole pricked in one side so that alpha rays would stream out. In front of the lead block he placed a sheet of aluminum. Aluminum atoms absorb alpha rays and in the process kick out neutrons. Since neutrons have no charge, and thus cannot be measured by a Geiger counter, David had no way of knowing whether the gun was working until he recalled that paraffin throws off protons when hit by neutrons. David aimed the apparatus at some paraffin, and his Geiger counter registered what he assumed was a proton stream. His neutron gun, crude but effective, was ready.
It is my understanding that an Alpha-N reaction does not produce neutrons in a collated beam aligned with the incident alpha beam...
so my question is,
this "neutron gun" was actually a neutron sprinkler was it not? Producing a spherical aray of neutrons as the alpha beam entered the aluminum... or the brillium rod in his later derivation, neutrons were produced and emmited in all directions. with out neutron shielding, or reflection... no "neutron beam' could be acheaved...
is this kid a walking talking source right now... Who gives a rats backside about his lifetime exposure to Th232... I'm worried about the dose comming off him from activation of Potassium, Iron, Carbon...
anyone, anyone?