Cyclotron

Earnest Lawrence, of the University of California, Berkeley, is credited with the development of the cyclotron in 1929. A cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator. Cyclotrons accelerate charged particles using a high-frequency, alternating voltage (potential difference). A perpendicular magnetic field causes the particles to spiral almost in a circle so that they re-encounter the accelerating voltage many times.

• Working of Cyclotron
  

A cyclotron consists of two D-shaped regions known as dees. In each dee there is a magnetic field perpendicular to the plane of the page. There is a uniform electric field pointing from one dee to the other in the gap separating the dees. The electric field accelerates the charge released from rest in the gap and carried into one of the dees. The magnetic field in the dee causes the charge to follow a half-circle that carries it back to the gap.While the charge is in the dee the electric field in the gap is reversed, so the charge is once again accelerated across the gap. The cycle continues with the magnetic field in the dees continually bringing the charge back to the gap. Every time the charge crosses the gap it picks up speed. This causes the half-circles in the dees to increase in radius, and eventually the charge emerges from the cyclotron at high speed.

• Problems solved by the cyclotron

The cyclotron is an improvement of the linear accelerator . A linear accelerator accelerates particles in a straight line, through evacuated tubes. A series of cylindrical electrodes in the tubes switch from positive to negative voltage. To accommodate the low frequency, or more stages were required to compensate for the low power at each stage.

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Faster particles required longer accelerators than scientists could afford. Later linear accelerators could use high power klystrons and other devices imparting much more power at higher frequencies, but before these devices existed, the cyclotron was cheaper.

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Cyclotrons accelerate particles in a circular path. Therefore, a compact accelerator can contain much more distance than a linear accelerator, with more opportunities to accelerate the particles.

Advantages of the cyclotron

1. Cyclotrons have a single electrical driver, which saves both money and power, since more expense may be allocated to increasing efficiency.

2. Cyclotrons produce a continuous stream of particles at the target, so the average power is relatively high.

3. The compactness of the device reduces other costs, such as its foundations, radiation shielding, and the enclosing building.

Science & Technology

However far modern science and technic have fallen short of their inherent possibilities, They have taught mankind at least one lesson: Nothing is impossible.

Science has discovered and invented many facts and devices .The gifts of science are called scientific discoveries. Science has given us many means of transportation and communication. Like buses, cars, planes, rockets etc are the modern means of transportation and radio, television, telephones, mobiles are used in the field of communication. Similarly,there are ample scientific devices used in different spheres of human activities. Present time is known as scientific era. Many means of scientific discoveries are widely used in various fields. They have changed the mode of our life .We human beings are used to using them in our daily life. Scientific Discoveries should be used properly else they will have good as well as bad impacts. If they are used properly then they can be much beneficial for us as we can do our work quickly,comfortably and well. For instance,we can travel the world in 24 hours by modern planes.Many diseases were uprooted by using modern equipment and medicines. We can exchange our ideas and messages quickly using communication facilities. Scientific discoveries can even have negative effects if they are misused. Misuse of them leads us to failure and destruction.For example, if planes and rockets are used as the means of wars they certainly invite bad results.Some terrifying discoveries such as atom bombs, fighters etc cause destruction of human civilization. Tremendous use of scientific discoveries certainly invites environmental pollutions. Moreover, the gravity of prevailing pollutions get intensified due to the numerous scientific discoveries and devices. Therefore, they should be properly utilized to enhance the prosperity and dignity of human civilization and achievement.

Present era smiles because of the facilities and devices provided by science and technology.