How are particles accelerated at CERN?

Accelerators use electromagnetic fields to accelerate and steer particles. Radiofrequency cavities boost the particle beams, while magnets focus the beams and bend their trajectory. In a circular accelerator, the particles repeat the same circuit for as long as necessary, getting an energy boost at each turn.

What can scientists do in particle accelerators?

Scientists study the pieces to learn what makes up an atom and how it is held together. Particle accelerators also can be used to create radioactive material by shooting charged particles at atoms to change them into different, unstable atoms.

How do you accelerate electrons?

Particle accelerators work by accelerating charged particles, such as protons or electrons, at speeds close to the speed of light. They then smash those particles into a target or other particles. High energy physicists study the particles and radiation released in these collisions.

How do magnetic fields accelerate electrons?

Applyning a magnetic field, a magnetic force will be generated on the charged particle. The force will be perpendicular to the direction of motion and we are left with a radial acceleration. Therefore, for increasing the acceleration of the electron, I will suggest to apply electric field.

How can electrons be accelerated experimentally?

In a linear accelerator, electrons run through a succession of metal tubes (electrodes) that have alternating positive and negative voltages. The voltages change sign at a radio frequency, and after many stages, the electrons build up enough energy to be used in collision experiments.

How do particle accelerators work at CERN?

CERN hosts a gigantic complex of particle accelerators. But what are these machines and how do they work? What is an accelerator? An accelerator propels charged particles, such as protons or electrons, at high speeds, close to the speed of light.

How do you accelerate protons in an accelerator?

How to accelerate protons In the first part of the accelerator, an electric field strips hydrogen atoms (consisting of one proton and one electron) of their electrons. Electric fields along the accelerator switch from positive to negative at a given frequency, pulling charged particles forwards along the accelerator.

What types of particles can be accelerated in an accelerator?

An accelerator can circulate a lot of different particles, provided that they have an electric charge so that they can be accelerated with an electromagnetic field. The CERN accelerator complex accelerates protons, but also nuclei of ionized atoms (ions), such as the nuclei of lead, argon or xenon atoms.

What happens to a photon at very high energy?

At very high energy another effect starts to be relevant: the pair production. In this process the photon interacts with an electron or a nucleus producing a positron-electron pair. In order to produce the pair the photon must have at least an energy of 1.022 MeV.