Question

Describe the working of cyclotron?

Answer 1

Hint: To understand the working of a cyclotron we have to know what a cyclotron is. A cyclotron is basically a machine that can accelerate charged particles to higher energy states. It uses electric and magnetic fields to increase the energy of the charged particle.
Cyclotron was invented by Ernest O. Lawrence

Complete Solution:
Charged particles accelerate outwards from centre along a spiral path. The particles are held in the trajectory by the magnetic field and accelerated by the electric field.
A cyclotron uses high frequency alternating voltage to charge the particle and it is applied between D-shaped metal electrodes known as “dees” inside a vacuum chamber. Dees are arranged in such a way that there is a narrow gap between them and particles are injected into this space. Dees are located between the poles of the electromagnet. Here a static magnetic field is produced which is perpendicular to the direction of motion.
Now an alternating voltage is applied between the dees which creates an oscillating electric field in the gap which accelerates particles. The frequency of voltage is set so that particles make one circuit during a single cycle of the voltage. This is how the cyclotron works.

Note:
One of the limitations of a cyclotron is it cannot accelerate electrons because electrons are of very small mass and it cannot accelerate neutral particles.
Cyclotron can be used to treat cancer. The high energy ionic beams from cyclotrons can penetrate into the body and kill the tumour cells. They are also used to accelerate charged particles in nuclear physics experiments