Question

In a cyclotron, a charged particle ______.

Options

• undergoes acceleration all the time.

• speeds up between the dees because of the magnetic field.

• speeds up in a dee.

• slows down within a dee and speeds up between dees.

Answer 1

In a cyclotron, a charged particle undergoes acceleration all the time.

Explanation:

Cyclotron is a device used to accelerate positively charged particles (like a-particles, deuterons etc.)

It is based on the fact that the electric field accelerates a charged particle and the perpendicular magnetic field keeps it revolving in circular orbits of constant frequency. Thus a small potential difference would impart enormously large velocities if the particle is made to traverse the potential difference a number of times.