calutron

scientific instrument

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June 22, 2026

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A calutron is an electromagnetic apparatus used to separate isotopes based on their masses. This scientific instrument was developed as part of the Manhattan Project, the World War II effort to create the first atomic bomb. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, converted a cyclotron into a mass spectrograph, which was later called a calutron, to produce uranium-235. This process was crucial for enriching uranium for use in nuclear weapons.123

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nuclear weapon
Producing a controlled chain reaction
…mass spectrograph (later called a calutron), was exceeding expectations in separating uranium-235, and it was enlarged to a 10-calutron system capable of producing almost 3 grams (about 0.1 ounce) of uranium-235 per day.
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…mass spectrograph (later called a calutron), was exceeding expectations in separating uranium-235, and it was enlarged to a 10-calutron system capable of producing almost 3 grams (about 0.1 ounce) of uranium-235 per day.
Read More