Thermoelectric Cloud Chamber
Dry-ice-free cloud chamber for classroom radiation studies
Let students see ionizing radiation with a cloud chamber that’s fast, clean, and truly classroom-ready. The Thermoelectric Cloud Chamber creates a supersaturated alcohol vapor and uses built-in thermoelectric cooling to reveal particle tracks—no dry ice, no water baths, and no complicated prep. Just add isopropyl alcohol, plug it in, and you’re ready to observe real ionizing radiation.
Within about 10 minutes, students can watch vivid trails from the included low-activity source, then compare track thickness and motion to distinguish alpha and beta radiation. The chamber’s high-intensity LED illumination and self-contained design make it easy to run extended demos or lab stations by adding more alcohol through the access lid.
Why Teachers Love the Thermoelectric Cloud Chamber
- No dry ice required: Thermoelectric (Peltier) cooling replaces messy, time-limited dry ice setups.
- Quick, reliable results: Visible tracks appear in ~10 minutes with consistent performance.
- Self-contained & low-prep: Integrated power supply and LED lighting—just add isopropyl alcohol and plug in.
- Includes a safe, low-activity source: Thoriated tungsten rod (2%) provides clear alpha-particle tracks for classroom study.
Note: Thorium is an Alpha emitter and the primary tracks will be due to alpha particles. Occasionally Beta tracks will be seen due to the daughter nuclei of previous decays.
Resources
Product Details
What You Can Teach with the Thermoelectric Cloud Chamber
Great for high school through introductory college modern physics, including:
- Radioactive decay: Visualize real particle emissions in real time.
- Alpha vs. beta radiation: Differentiate by trail thickness, length, and trajectory.
- Ionizing radiation interactions: Connect invisible radiation to observable effects in matter.
- Particle motion and fields (extensions): Explore how tracks change with geometry or added fields (teacher-guided).
- Comparative radioactivity: Investigate different materials such as uranium ore, statically charged items left to collect radiation, or even banana peels!
Products being sold are not toys. They are for Educational / Laboratory use only. They are not for use by children 12 and under.
Product Specifications
Specs:
Dimensions: 400×250×180mm
Weight: 2.5kg
What's Included:
1 x Cloud chamber
1 x thoriated tungsten radioactive source
1 x polystyrene disc
1 x instructions for use
Warning: California Residents
WARNING: Cancer & Reproductive Harm — www.P65Warnings.ca.gov