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Pelletron accelerator

particle accelerator

Quick Summary

A Pelletron accelerator is a type of particle accelerator that uses a Van de Graaff generator to create high voltages for accelerating charged particles. These accelerators are linear, meaning particles travel in a straight path, and are used in scientific research and other applications.12

The Van de Graaff generator works by transporting electric charge on a moving belt to a high-voltage terminal. This creates a strong electric field that accelerates particles, such as protons or electrons, through an evacuated tube. Tandem accelerators, which use two Van de Graaff generators, can achieve higher energies by accelerating particles twice.1

Particle accelerators like the Pelletron are crucial for studying atomic nuclei and subatomic particles, and they also have applications in fields like medicine and industry.2

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