Particle accelerators, or atom smashers, are devices that smash atoms or particles with one another to split them into their subatomic particles. When doing this process, people learn and discover information about the smaller parts that make up an atom. In a particle accelerator, a particle is sped up to over 150,000 miles per second. At that speed, something could go to the moon and come back in about 3 seconds. This particle that is sped up is smashed into an atom, and then the result of the crash is observed and recorded, in order to learn more information about the parts of that particle. In the picture above, a collision from an atom smasher is shown. In the picture, two gold beams had just collided.
There are several different types of particle accelerators. But in all of them, charged particles are accelerated by electric forces. The particles that are used the most often are electrons and various ions, which are positively charged nuclei of atoms. The most commonly used ion is the proton, or the nucleus of a hydrogen atom, because it is the lightest and least complex atom.
There are several different types of particle accelerators. But in all of them, charged particles are accelerated by electric forces. The particles that are used the most often are electrons and various ions, which are positively charged nuclei of atoms. The most commonly used ion is the proton, or the nucleus of a hydrogen atom, because it is the lightest and least complex atom.