Show enamel coated tin cans play part in atom rolo role in experimenting with radioactive rad iove chemicals from the atomic piles at oak ridge plant scientists ot of the U S department of agriculture have stopped u using sing the familiar c lay clay pots and jars in their greenhouse experiments instead they are using inexpensive tin cans coated with enamel after each experiment they discard the can sand soil that contains the radioactive material and iury bury them deep in the ground to get rid of 0 them the reason is simple in checking the action of the radioactive cheal chemicals moving out of the soil and into anti and through the plant the scientists make use of the delicate tracer method counting instruments detect and record the passage ol of charged molecules as they pass pasi through the plant tissues it Is nee necessary to have exact knowledge as ai to the radiant energy present at the start ot of the experiment this is possible by using resh fresh soll soil a new container and exactly measured quantities of radioactive ra cilo active chemicals but if a clay container had been used previously the pot would have become at least slightly radioactive ac and so would add some soma unmeasured energy that would complicate the experiment it would disturb what the scientists term the control contro 1 at l condition |