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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;calcol, post: 7932092, member: 77639&quot;]If anyone wants a nondestructive technique that can provide true bulk analysis (i.e. average elemental composition of the whole coin), then it’s neutron activation analysis.&nbsp;&nbsp; The coin is placed in a nuclear reactor and bombarded with neutrons.&nbsp; Alternately, certain radioactive elements or particle accelerators bombarding a light-weight element can be used as a neutron source.&nbsp; Some neutrons will “stick” to the nuclei of the metal atoms of the coin, and these will now be radioactive.&nbsp;&nbsp; As they decay, they give off characteristic radiation.&nbsp; Usually it’s gamma radiation that is used for analysis.&nbsp; By gauging the energy and intensity of the radiation, the gamma spectrometer can determine the elemental composition of the object.&nbsp; Because neutrons and gamma rays can penetrate metal fairly well, the composition of the entire coin can be determined.</p><p><br /></p><p>Although technically nondestructive, the analysis leaves you with a radioactive coin. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie9" alt=":eek:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>See the links for more info.</p><p><br /></p><p>Cal</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_activation_analysis" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_activation_analysis" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_activation_analysis</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjYud6196_zAhWbqZUCHRrVD1sQFnoFCKsBEAE&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww3.nd.edu%2F~nsl%2FLectures%2Fphys178%2Fpdf%2Fchap2_6.pdf&amp;usg=AOvVaw1VaA9-s7di44yfC_iJXqLT" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjYud6196_zAhWbqZUCHRrVD1sQFnoFCKsBEAE&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww3.nd.edu%2F~nsl%2FLectures%2Fphys178%2Fpdf%2Fchap2_6.pdf&amp;usg=AOvVaw1VaA9-s7di44yfC_iJXqLT" rel="nofollow">https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjYud6196_zAhWbqZUCHRrVD1sQFnoFCKsBEAE&amp;url=https://www3.nd.edu/~nsl/Lectures/phys178/pdf/chap2_6.pdf&amp;usg=AOvVaw1VaA9-s7di44yfC_iJXqLT</a>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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