The absolute sensitivity for several different types of radiation detectors has been measured using x-rays in the energy range of 280 eV to 100 keV. The photons in this energy range are produced using three separate x-ray-generating facilities. The detectors include a silicon semiconductor, two photoelectric diode detectors employing aluminum and gold photocathodes, and three detectors incorporating plastic scintillators and photodiodes. The plastic scintillators were MEL-150C, Pilot B, and NE102.

The equilibrium constant, K/sub HDO/, for the reaction H/sub 2/O + D/sub 2/O = 2HDO can be expressed as an intensity ratio, I, measured mass spectrometrically, times a sensitivity ratio, S, measured in mass spectrometric calibration experiments. The latter is difficult to measure and previously was assumed to be unity. The 2.4 percent discrepancy between K's from theoretical calculations and direct mass spectrometric measurements might be explained by another value of S. An indirect measurement of S using a pulsed-molecular beam quadrupole mass filter that has a unique three-chamber, three-leak gas inlet system is reported. The results show the sensitivities are probably equal and therefore S = 1. Systematic errors were found in the procedure, however, which precluded an unambiguous test of the theory.