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Question

What are the limitations of cyclotron

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Solution

*Cyclotron cannot accelerate uncharged particles like neutrons.


* Cyclotron cannot accelerate electrons because of its small mass.

*It cannot accelerate positively charged particles with large mass due to relativistic effect.

explanation

1. A cyclotron cannot be used to accelerate electrons because electrons are of very small mass. Thus, the velocity will be increased to such a great extent that the electron will be thrown out of the step with the oscillating field.

2. A cyclotron cannot be used to accelerate neutral particles.

3. According to Einstein’s special theory of relativity, the mass of the charged particle should increase as the velocity of the particle is increasing. Thus, the frequency of the cyclotron should decrease as the mass is increasing. This will throw the particle out of resonance with the oscillating field which means that when the particle reaches the gap between the dees, the polarity of the dees will not change. Thus, the particle will not be accelerated further



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