Instrumentation in Applied Nuclear Chemistry

This book attempts to build a bridge between two sciences: chemistry and electronics. The inside of the black boxes the nuclear chemist uses daily is explained in simple electronic terms. Knowledge of the inside not only satisfies curiosity but helps one "get the most out of the available equipment." Likewise, this book tries to give sufficient understanding for not "over- buying," that is to say, for buying the equipment which just serves the purpose, instead of buying the best so at least it will serve the purpose. The first three chapters give a concise understanding of what the area of applied nuclear chemistry is concerned with and what kind of equipment is generally used. Chapter 1 gives a theoretical background, while Chapter 3 deals with the practical implementations. Thus, these chapters provide the background to determine what one can expect from the experiments. The remainder of the book is devoted to the practical instrumentation of the experiments. Each chapter deals with specific types of instruments and devices, discusses briefly the electronics involved, considers the limitations, and investigates how and to what extent they can be circumvented. The advantage of having different contributors, each with his own practical experience, shows clearly in this latter aspect. Detailed practical knowledge and experience can be explained best by the person who has long been con- cerned with the subject theoretically and practically.