Geiger tube

Geiger tubeWhen radioactive material collides with gas atoms, the atoms become ionized and release electrons that attach to the anode, creating electrical pulses that can be read by a meter.

Geiger tube

n. A metal or glass tube filled with gas that is ionized by passing charged particles, producing within the tube an electric charge indicative of a particular particle.

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[After Hans Wilhelm Geiger (1882-1945), German physicist.]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Geiger tube - an ionization chamber contained in a tube in a Geiger counterGeiger-Muller tubeGeiger counter, Geiger-Muller counter - counter tube that detects ionizing radiationsionization chamber, ionization tube - a measuring instrument that measures the amount of ionizing radiation