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A2 ParticlePhysics

Rutherford's alpha scattering experiment provided evidence for the atomic model consisting of a small, dense nucleus surrounded by empty space. Most alpha particles passed through the gold foil undeflected, but some were deflected at small angles and a few rebounded straight back, indicating the positive charge of the atom is concentrated in a small nucleus. A linear accelerator, or linac, uses alternating electric fields between cylindrical tubes to accelerate particles in a straight line. As particles enter each tube, the electric field accelerates them, then they travel at constant speed inside the shielded tubes until entering the next tube. A cyclotron uses alternating electric fields between two semicircular electrodes in a magnetic field to accelerate charged particles in a

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47 views4 pages

A2 ParticlePhysics

Rutherford's alpha scattering experiment provided evidence for the atomic model consisting of a small, dense nucleus surrounded by empty space. Most alpha particles passed through the gold foil undeflected, but some were deflected at small angles and a few rebounded straight back, indicating the positive charge of the atom is concentrated in a small nucleus. A linear accelerator, or linac, uses alternating electric fields between cylindrical tubes to accelerate particles in a straight line. As particles enter each tube, the electric field accelerates them, then they travel at constant speed inside the shielded tubes until entering the next tube. A cyclotron uses alternating electric fields between two semicircular electrodes in a magnetic field to accelerate charged particles in a

Uploaded by

David Romm
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PARTICLE PHYSICS

Structure of an atom

The atomic structure was first


experimentally verified by Sir
Rutherford and his two
students. This experiment is
known as Rutherford’s alpha
scattering experiment.
The experiment setup is
illustrated on the left.

Observations

1. Most of the α particles went straight through the gold foil with little or no deflection
2. Some of the α particles were deflected through small angles.
3. Very few α particles came straight back towards the source.

Conclusions

1. Most of the space inside an atom is empty.


2. All of the positive charge is concentrated in the central nucleus.
3. Most of the mass lies in the nucleus.

The diagram on the left illustrate the


subsequent path of 3 α particles,
approaching a gold nucleus.

Particle Acceleration:

Linac: Linac is an acronym for linear accelerator.


Linac consists of equally spaced cylindrical tubes
of increasing length, connected alternately to a
high frequency AC supply.
Motion of particles when they travel through a linac:

• Particles only accelerate when they are between the gaps


• Particles travel with a constant speed when they are inside the tube
• Particles spend the same time inside each tube.

Explanation:

• The particles only accelerate between the tubes because there is an electric field only
between the tubes.
• The particles with a constant speed when they are inside the tube because there is no
electric field inside the tube.
• The particles must spend the same time inside each tube so that this time is consistent with
the time it takes for the AC supply to reverse its polarity. This is ensured by increasing the
lengths of the tube.
• An AC supply is used so that the polarity of the tubes alternate. This is done so that the
particles are always repelled while leaving a tube and are always attracted while entering the
next tube.

Q. A modern linac has 420 tubes and uses an AC supply that operates at a frequency of 390
MHz. Calculate how long it takes for a particle to travel through all of the tube.

Ans: f = 390 × 106


T = 2.56 × 10−9 s
2.56 × 10−9
Time taken = × 420 = 5.38 × 10−7
2
Cyclotrons:

Cyclotrons consist of 2 Ds mounted in a magnetic field and connected to a high frequency AC


supply.

↑ p2
↑ Ek =
2m
↑ p = Bqr ↑

Features of a cyclotron:

The particles only accelerate between the Ds. The particles travel with a constant speed inside
the Ds. The polarity of the Ds reverse after every half cycle.

*A charged particle in a magnetic field spirals inward when it loses energy and spirals
outward when it gains energy.

Description of roles of electric and magnetic field in a cyclotron:

Electric field: The electric field provides a force on the charged particle causing it to
accelerate.

Magnetic field: The magnetic field provided a force on the charged particle perpendicular to
the direction of the motion causing it to spiral.

Basic differences between linac and cyclotron:

1. Linac uses only an electric field whereas cyclotron uses both electric and magnetic field.
2. Particles follow a straight line in linac but particles travel in spiral in a cyclotron.

Particle detectors:

Particle detectors are used to trace the path of particles (after collisions when they break down
after being accelerated by particle accelerators).

Particle detectors can be of 2 types:

1. Cloud chambers (uses super saturated air)


2. Bubble chamber (uses super heated liquid hydrogen)

The working principle of both chamber are similar. In either chamber, when a charged particle
travels through super-saturated air or super heated liquid hydrogen, they ionize the particles of
the matter along their path.

A track forms along the path which has been ionized.

*Only charged particles are capable of ionizing the matter in the chambers, therefore only
charged particles can produce tracks.
Description of roles of electric and magnetic field in particle detectors:

Electric Field:

1.The electric field provides a force on the charge particles causing


them to accelerate.
2.The direction of deflection is used to determine the charge of the
particle.

Magnetic Field:

1. The magnetic field provides a force on the charged particle perpendicular to the direction of
its motion, causing it to movie in a spiral.
2. The radius of curvature is used to determine the momentum of the charged particle.
3. A charged particle will always spiral in a magnetic field.

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