  We designed a simple setup to measure the muon lifetime and the electron
energy spectra of muon decay. A low cost coincidental circuit was designed to
select the signals of muon decay events detected by a plastic scintillator
detector. It triggered a digital oscilloscope to record the signals of muon
decay events for measuring the muon lifetime and electron energy spectrum. A
Landau-distribution energy loss method was introduced to conduct the energy
calibration of the system. The experimental results were well reproduced by the
Monte Carlo simulation. The software and hardware of the system are completely
open to students, thus more helpful for instruction and motivation.

Instrumentation and Detectors;Physics Education