10.162015X-ray radiography using scotch tapeCategory "Miscellaneous" | No comment
Did you know that ?
A simple roll of adhesive tape as source of radiation to produce a radiograph: a scenario worthy of MacGyver.
American researchers led by SETH PUTTERMAN at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) wanted to test a theory described there more than half a century ago and proved that a sufficiently intense X-ray emission to radiograph a finger occurs when a roll of scotch tape is rolled out.
The experiment carried out by peeling an adhesive tape at a speed of 3 centimeters per second showed that the maximum energy of photons produced is equal to 15 keV. The high-energy radiation is only produced when the tape is peeled under vacuum conditions. So, unless you wrap your holiday gifts under these conditions, there’s no need to worry about exposure!
How is this phenomenon produced?
It seems like that during the detachment of the plastic film, the adhesive tape is positively charged while the roller is negatively charged. This produces an electric field that creates an electron discharge. These particles lose their energies by emitting photons.
