On Tue, Dec 3, 2013 at 12:56 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:

Sounds pretty good doesn't it? However consider the fact that gamma emitting
> radioisotopes are common, even in solids, so apparently the coupling
> mechanism
> that might allow the energy to be transferred to the neighbouring
> electrons is
> missing. :(
>

Very astute observation.

Consider a metal, a proportion of which is a radioisotope.  I have several
questions:

   - How do we know that gammas that are emitted from the metal come from
   the bulk?
   - Note that radioactive materials are often quite hot.  Is this also the
   case for pure gamma emitters?  If so, shouldn't the large majority of the
   gammas just pass right through?  E.g., could there be some gammas that are
   unaccounted for?

Eric

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