Which type of detection does a scintillation detector primarily rely on?

A scintillation detector primarily relies on light emission as its means of detecting radiation. When ionizing radiation interacts with the scintillating material, it causes the material to emit light photons. This process is due to the excitation of the atoms within the scintillation material; as these atoms return to their ground state, they release energy in the form of visible light.

The emitted light is then typically collected by a photomultiplier tube or a photodetector, which converts the light into an electrical signal that can be quantified and analyzed. This reliance on light emission is what makes scintillation detectors particularly effective, as they can detect very low levels of radiation with high sensitivity.

The other methods listed—thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and sound detection—do not play a role in the process by which scintillation detectors identify or quantify radiation. Each of these methods pertains to different principles and technologies used for various types of sensors or detectors but are not applicable to the functioning of scintillation detectors.