Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics

On November 24 and 25, 2023, the CTU in Prague, Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics organized a seminar for teachers of Czech secondary and primary schools dedicated to the detection of radioactivity using pixel detectors MX-10 and MiniPIX EDU, respectively. They learned about the principles of operation of pixel detectors and subsequently performed their own measurements accompanied by interpretation of the measured data at five workstations during approximately eight hours. They verified that alpha, beta and gamma radiation cause different types of traces in the detector and learned how to distinguish these traces. They measured the energies absorbed in the detector and calculated the particle velocities using classical and relativistic physics. They studied the differences in visualizing the radiation caused by uranium glass, thorium electrode, potassium salt, and americium. They tested the shielding of alpha and gamma radiation in air and other substances, and made their own radiographic images obtained using photon and alpha radiation. They also investigated background radiation - radon decay products and muons from cosmic rays. They obtained the Pixelman program and worksheets for independent student work. They tried activities with the worksheets that can be done without a detector attached.

Teachers also got acquainted with the SESTRA (School Education Set with Timepix for Radiation Analysis) kit implemented at CTU in Prague, Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics (interested students can contact the Institute staff listed below).

The two-day seminar was closely related to the safety research project "Centre for Population Support in the Event of Actual or Suspected Nuclear and Radiation Emergencies", which was carried out in cooperation with NRPI, IEAP CTU, IPVZ and SOÚ AV ČR. Within the framework of the project, a mobile detector for civil radiation mapping CzechRad was developed and presented to the seminar participants. Participating teachers expressed interest in cooperation on this project (long-term loan of the CzechRad detector, mapping of the radiation situation, involvement of students).

After receiving the certificates, the teachers were offered to borrow a teaching kit with a pixel detector at the CTU in Prague, Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, which they immediately took advantage of.

Vladimír Vícha, Jitka Svobodová