Show enamel coated tin cans play part in atom role in experimenting with radioactive chemicals from the atomic piles at oak ridge plant scientists of the U S department of agriculture have stopped using the familiar clay pots and jars in their greenhouse experiments instead they are using inexpensive tin cans coated with enamel after each experiment they discard the cans and soil that con bains the radioactive material and bury them deep in the ground to get rid of them the reason Is simple in checking the action of the radioactive chemi cals moving out of the soil and into and aird through the plant the scientists make use of the delicate tracer method counting instruments de hect and record the passage ol 01 char charged ged molecules as they pass through the plant tissues it is nee essary to have exact knowledge as to the radiant energy present at the start of the exper ment this is pos sible by using fresh soil a new con tamer and exactly measured quan titles of rad coactive chemicals but if a clay container had been used bously the pot pol would have become at least slightly live tive and so would add some un measured radioactive energy that would complicate the experiment it would disturb what the scientists term the control ot of cond eions |