Big Bang experiment / CERN laboratory video

Summary

This video script explains the intricate process of particle acceleration at CERN, beginning with the compression of hydrogen gas and its transformation into protons. These protons are progressively accelerated through various stages, including the Linac 2, Booster, Proton Synchrotron, and Super Proton Synchrotron, reaching speeds close to the speed of light. Finally, they enter the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), where they collide at 14 TeV, mimicking conditions similar to the Big Bang. The data from these collisions helps scientists explore the origins, behavior, and future of the universe.

Takeaways

• 😀 The world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator chain begins with a cylinder of compressed hydrogen gas.
• 😀 The hydrogen gas is used to create protons, which are then accelerated through multiple stages.
• 😀 Protons are stripped of their electrons to leave them positively charged, allowing them to be accelerated by electric fields.
• 😀 The journey of the protons starts in CERN's Linac 2, where they reach 1/3 the speed of light.
• 😀 After Linac 2, protons enter the Booster, a circular accelerator, where they are bent by powerful magnets and accelerated further.
• 😀 The Booster accelerates protons to 91.6% of the speed of light, then splits them into four beams for greater intensity.
• 😀 In the Proton Synchrotron, the protons reach 99.9% of the speed of light and gain mass instead of speed due to their high energy.
• 😀 Protons are further accelerated to 450 GeV in the Super Proton Synchrotron, preparing them for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
• 😀 The LHC is a 27 km ring that accelerates protons to nearly the speed of light, with beams circulating in opposite directions.
• 😀 At the LHC, protons collide at 14 TeV, reproducing conditions similar to those just after the Big Bang, allowing scientists to study the universe's origins.

Q & A

What is the first step in the particle acceleration process at CERN?

The first step involves feeding compressed hydrogen gas into the source chamber of a linear accelerator, where hydrogen atoms are stripped of their electrons to form positively charged protons.

How are protons accelerated in the linear accelerator (Linac 2)?

In Linac 2, protons are accelerated using an electric field, which causes them to travel at a speed of 1/3 the speed of light, forming the beginning of their journey toward high-energy collisions.

Why are the protons divided into four packets in the booster stage?

The protons are divided into four packets to maximize the intensity of the beam. This division allows each packet to be accelerated more efficiently in the booster ring.

What role do magnets play in the booster stage of acceleration?

Magnets are used to bend the proton beams at right angles to their direction of motion, guiding them around the circular booster ring. This enables the protons to be accelerated in a repeated loop.

At what speed do the protons reach in the proton synchrotron, and what change occurs at this stage?

In the proton synchrotron, the protons reach over 99.9% of the speed of light. At this point, energy added to the protons no longer increases their speed, but instead increases their mass.

How does the energy of the protons change as they move through the synchrotron stages?

As the protons move through the synchrotron stages, their energy increases from 25 GeV in the proton synchrotron to 450 GeV in the super proton synchrotron, with the aim of reaching higher energies in the LHC.

What is the role of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in the particle acceleration process?

The LHC is the final stage in the particle acceleration process. It accelerates protons to speeds near the speed of light in two opposite directions, before making them collide in detectors to study the resulting debris for insights into the early universe.

What happens when protons collide in the LHC?

When protons collide in the LHC, their energy is combined, resulting in a collision energy of 14 TeV. This recreates conditions similar to those just after the Big Bang, and the resulting particles are analyzed to better understand the universe's formation and fundamental forces.

Why is the LHC kept colder than outer space?

The LHC is kept colder than outer space to ensure that the electromagnets used to bend the proton beams become superconducting, allowing them to carry the enormous current needed to keep the protons on their collision course.

What do scientists hope to achieve by analyzing the debris from proton collisions?

By analyzing the debris from proton collisions, scientists aim to gain new insights into the origins of the universe, its evolution, and the fundamental forces that govern its behavior, potentially revealing new physics beyond our current understanding.