Sketch the current –voltage characteristic of the Geiger- Muller tube and explain its main features.

Sketch the current –voltage characteristic of the Geiger- Muller tube and explain its main features. 

OA – the operating voltage is not enough to attract the ions to the respective electrodes and hence the counter registers no reading. This voltage (i.e. at A) is called the threshold voltage.

 AB – the applied p.d not enough to attract all electrons; hence increasing the p.d increases the number of electrons being attracted and hence increase in counter rate.

BC – here the count rate is constant. This is called the plateau region. 

– Between BC, all the negative ions are able to reach the anode because the operating voltage is large enough to attract them.

– Full avalanche is obtained along the entire length of the anode.

– Here the tube is said to be operating normally.

CD: – The count rate increases rapidly because the quenching process becomes ineffective and eventually a continuous discharge occurs which might damage the tube.

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