Geiger Counters for Teaching and Science Amateurs

Geiger counters have been widely employed since their introduction not only as a professional tool in basic and applied research, but also for teaching and in the amateur world, as one of the basic instruments to equip science enthusiasts with a tool for investigating the world of radiations. Science kits developed in the past quite often included a Geiger counter and some radioactive sample. In recent years, the availability of low-cost devices has further enhanced the possibility to carry out experiments and activities on various aspects of everyday life. This chapter reviews a variety of equipment available on the market, with special emphasis to “Do-It-Yourself” (DIY) devices, and their practical use for the activities proposed in the text.