Particle Acceleration

  

     Particle Acceleration were invented during the 1930's to provide energetic particles in order to investigate the nucleus of atoms. However, these machines have evolved and are now in use to investigate many aspects of particle physics. A particle accelerator is used to speed up or increase the energy of particles within a beam by creating electric fields that accelerate them. There are two types of accelerators: a linear accelerator and a circular accelerator. In a linear accelerator the beam travels in a straight line, while in a circular the beam travels on a curve forming a complete circle.
     The particle will vary based upon the purpose of the experiment, however atoms can be combined to form new elements in the case of elements 116-118 all being classified as man-made. The way to accomplish this is by using a hydrogen atom and then using these incredible speeds to shed the electron forming just one proton and neutron moving at high speeds gaining kinetic energy. This is done by switching electric field from positive to negative forcing the proton to tear apart from the electron and then providing energy. Radio-frequency can also be used because as each time the particle passes through the radio waves are supplying energy to the particle and moving it forward. This method is much more common in circular accelerators since they can pass in a ring and the revolutions pick up each time leading to an increase in energy eventually reaching the speed required. Then the high-energy particle is smashed into another nucleus causing both to completely disassemble and then reassemble almost instantly. This means that elements can be created using one hydrogen atom and an atom of another substance. However, this does not mean that this transmutation is stable by nature the half-life of element 118 is 0.89 milliseconds. This is a type of fusion that can be controlled by humans.
    While of course we can manipulate this beam and control it to produce energy theoretically, the energy required to reach these speeds are enormous, so that's why the most common form of particle accelerator is seen in the sun, where the heat and the temperature causes this phenomenon to combine two hydrogen atoms into one helium atom. Humans have to input large amount of energy to match this kinetic energy done and is why this method is only done for research and not commercial use. Another reason is that every part of the collision has to be very precise to avoid the copper magnets melting, and this is due to the fact that the cavities that are receive the frequency flip are heating up as well as the particle gaining energy, this means that it must be controlled to make sure that the copper does not melt and require replacement.
   So what is the point? This allows scientist to analyze a different type of physics all together and take some aspects of alchemy and apply it to real life, Theoretically this information and experimentation could be used to create energy, but this is also developing very slowly due to the size of the LHC, or large hardron collider, being 27km long and using superconducting magnets to somewhat limit the amount of energy required to do particle acceleration experiments. However, these nucleus fusions are still very very inefficient and will require much more time to accomplish this feat. Until then, particle acceleration will only be used to find new elements that meet the criteria, and study how particles act, something that completely changes the realm of physics as we know it.


https://home.cern/about/how-accelerator-works
https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/videos/1047-what-is-a-particle-accelerator
http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21588048-fundamental-physics-seems-have-insatiable-appetite-bigger-more