A geological technician is investigating a rock specimen containing a beta-minus (β−\beta^-β−) emitting isotope. They need to determine the rate of radiation emitted by the sample over a 10-minute period.
Name an instrument the technician should use to detect the ionizing radiation emitted from the specimen.
State two environmental sources of background radiation that the technician will inevitably detect.
Describe the procedure the technician should follow to measure this background radiation and correct the total measured count rate to find the net count rate of the specimen.
Describe how the nucleus of an atom is changed by the emission of a beta-minus particle.
State two safety precautions the technician should observe to minimize their radiation risk when working with this radioactive specimen in the laboratory.