The Cloud chamber (also called Wilson cloud chamber) is a particle detector used for detecting ionization radiation and visualization charged particles.
In its most basic form, a cloud chamber is a sealed environment containing a supersaturated vapour of water or alcohol. When a charged particle (for example, an alpha or beta particle) interacts with the mixture, the fluid is ionized. The resulting ions act as condensation nuclei, around which a mist will form (because the mixture is on the point of condensation). The high energies of alpha and beta particles mean that a trail is left, due to many ions being produced along the path of the charged particle. These tracks have distinctive shapes (for example, an alpha particle's track is broad and shows more evidence of deflection by collisions, while an electron's is thinner and straight). When any uniform magnetic field is applied across the cloud chamber, positively and negatively charged particles will curve in opposite directions, according to the Lorentz force law with two particles of opposite charge.
To see the tracks of alpha particles need to pour a few drops* of alcohol into the chamber. In the chamber is formed high vapour pressure of alcohol at the pushing on pump. Supersaturated alcohol vapour will be formed when the pump will released. At this point you can see a lot of lines - tracks of alpha particles.
* - I added about 0.2ml of alcohol in the tube between the chamber and a hand pump. And tracks began appearing after few push-release cycles . Tracks from smoke detector source you can see on image.
This chamber include two source-holders for natural uranium minerals or other alpha sources.
The Scattering chamber (also called Rutherford scattering chamber) used to visualization classical Rutherford scattering of alpha particles against gold nuclei (Geiger-Marsden experiment).The initial discovery was made by Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden in 1909 when they performed the gold foil experiment in collaboration with Rutherford, in which they fired a beam of alpha particles (helium nuclei) at layers of gold leaf only a few atoms thick. The results showed that around 1 in 8000 alpha particles were deflected by very large angles (over 90°), while the rest passed straight through with little or no deflection. From this, Rutherford concluded that the majority of the mass was concentrated in a minute, positively charged region (the nucleus/ central charge) surrounded by electrons. When a (positive) alpha particle approached sufficiently close to the nucleus, it was repelled strongly enough to rebound at high angles. The small size of the nucleus explained the small number of alpha particles that were repelled in this way. Rutherford showed that the size of the nucleus was less than about 10−14 m.
Scattering chamber contain ultra-thin gold foil (target), a circular fluorescent screen and alpha-source compartment with several collimators. I tried look at it in a 5x magnifier. The scintillations is very clear.
The Transmutation chamber (also called Rutherford transmutation chamber) used to carry on an investigation of alpha particles range in various gases at several pressures. Also this chamber allows to observe transmutations of elements, like Rutherford reaction.
In fact, Rutherford was able to demonstrate, in 1919, that alpha particle could knock protons out of nitrogen nuclei and merge with what was left behind. He bombarded various gases with alpha particles and found that every once in a while an alpha particle would strike the nucleus of an atom and disarrange it. The most common isotope of nitrogen is nitrogen-14, which has a nucleus made up of 7 protons and 7 neutrons. Subtract a proton and add the 2 protons and 2 neutrons of the alpha particle and you end with a nucleus possessing 8 protons and 9 neutrons. This is oxygen-17. The alpha particle can be considered as helium-4 and the proton as hydrogen-1:
14N + α →17O + p
Protons generated by the reaction causes the smaller brightness of sparks on the fluorescent screen, than alpha particles. Sparks of alpha particles observed near the center of fluorescent screen, while sparks of protons are clearly visible near the edges of fluorescent screen.
I tested it with Am-source from smoke detector. If you bring a source close to the screen, you will see the glow with unaided eye in the dark room (see images). Also I tried to change pressure inside chamber by hand-pump. It caused a change of alpha particles range between the different alpha-sources and fluorescent screen.
The Neutron chamber (also called Chadwick`s neutron chamber) used for obtain neutrons by nuclear reaction (α, n) and to observe it by scintillations. Also this chamber allows to observe transmutations of elements by neutrons (if additional target fix inside vacuum chamber).
The device consist of two parts: adjustable isotope holder with scale and vacuum chamber with targets* and fluorescent screen. Alpha emitter source should be mounted in holder behind first beryllium target (the distance between target and source is adjustable). When beryllium is hit by the alpha particles, neutrons are emitted:
9Be + α →12C + n
The neutrons then hit a second paraffin target, which ejected protons in the fluorescent screen direction. Protons generated by the reaction causes the sparks on the fluorescent screen.
* - the beryllium target you can see on image. Paraffin target inside chamber not visible on images.
The Radon chamber used for detecting of radon formation and measuring the rate of radon accumulation in natural uranium ores and minerals.
The device consist of two parts: Scintillation chamber and Emanator.
Radon is produced by the radioactive decay of radium-226 and radium-224 in uranium and thorium ores and minerals. Using pump air slowly blows through emanator (uranium mineral must be inside) to the scintillation chamber. Alpha-particles generated by the decay of radon causes the sparks on the fluorescent screen in scintillation chamber.
A Spinthariscope (also called Crookes spinthariscope) is a device for observing individual nuclear disintegration caused by the interaction of ionizing radiation with a phosphor.
The spinthariscope was invented by William Crookes in 1903. While observing the apparently uniform fluorescence on a zinc sulfide screen created by the radioactive emissions (mostly alpha radiation) of a sample of radium bromide, he spilled some of the sample, and, owing to its extreme rarity and cost, he was eager to find and recover it. Upon inspecting the zinc sulfide screen under a microscope, he noticed separate flashes of light created by individual alpha particle collisions with the screen. Crookes took his discovery a step further and invented a device specifically intended to view these scintillations. It consisted of a small screen coated with zinc sulfide affixed to the end of a tube, with a tiny amount of radium salt suspended a short distance from the screen and a lens on the other end of the tube for viewing the screen.
It is a metal cylinder with a magnifying lens and fluorescent screen (phosphor) inside. Adjustable source holder with scale allows to change distance between source and fluorescent screen like in Chadwick`s neutron chamber. If you look inside you will see a lot of scintillations*.
*- I had to spend about 5 minutes in a dark room to see flashes (tested with uranium ore and source from smoke detector).