Difference between Betatron and Cyclotron
Betatron and Cyclotron are two commonly used particle accelerators. The difference between betatron and cyclotron is tabulated below:
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Betatron |
Cyclotron |
|---|---|
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It is a particular type of particle accelerator modified primarily to accelerate beta particles or electrons. |
A cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator that uses a spiral path to accelerate charged particles. |
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Upto 300 MeV of electron energy is accelerated. |
Upto 80 MeV energies are used to accelerate positive ions. |
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It has expanding magnetic field. |
It has constant magnetic field. |
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Electrons are accelerated as long as the betatron state is sustained. |
Ions are accelerated as long as the resonance state is sustained. |
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Only the first part of each cycle experiences electron acceleration. |
At the apex of each half cycle, ions accelerate. |
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Betatron uses a circular path for accelerating charged particles. |
Cyclotron uses a spiral path for accelerating charged particles. |
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Betatron is modern compared to cyclotron. |
Cyclotron is the earliest form of the accelerator |
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Its path is circular |
Its path is semicircular or spiral |
Betatron
Betatron is a particle accelerator that is used to accelerate beta particles, usually electrons. It works on the principle of electromagnetic induction to accelerate charged particles to high energy particles. They were one of the earliest particle accelerator developed for research and development in the area of particle physics.
In this article, we will learn in detail about betatron, its construction, working principle, advantages, disadvantages, uses and limitations. We will also compare betatron with cyclotron in this article.
Table of Content
- What is a Betatron?
- Properties of Betatron
- Types of Betatrons
- Principle of Betatron
- Betatron Construction and Working
- Difference between Betatron and Cyclotron