Ionization Chamber

Ionization chambers may be used to measure ionizing radiation by measuring the amount of charge generated from the interaction of radioactive particles with molecules of a certain gases. The simplest form of the chamber consists of a cylinder at ground and one charged positive center electrode.

When radiation is introduced into the gas between these two electrodes it liberates electrons from the gas molecules creating gas ions, and thus allowing charge to flow from center electrode (wire) to outer electrode cylinder. The strength of the electrical field generated is directly porportional to how much radiation is present in the chamber and the amount of distance between the electrodes and the given volume of gas between them.