Porter Atomic Energy Kit (late 1940s, 1950s) |
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This is a Model No. 100 "atomic energy kit" produced by Porter
Chemical Co. under the "Chemcraft" trademark. Based on the
copyright date of the instruction booklet, 1947, I am guessing that this
set dates from the late 1940s or 1950s.
It contains a "radioactive screen", a standard spinthariscope, and two glass vials one of which contains uranium ore while the other contains a "uranium chemical." The "radioactive screen" is simply a small (ca. 1") piece of heavy paper on which radium has been deposited. |
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contains radium which according to the booklet is "one of the most
valuable substances in the world. Radium costs about $25,000 per
gram." For information about spinthariscopes, click here.
For the most part, the booklet is a primer on radioactivity. The few experiments described in it consist of placing the uranium samples or the "radioactive screen" against photographic film. In one experiment, they recommend using filters (e.g., lead foil) to see the effect on the photographic image. |
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