Environmental Science

(This really has nothing to do with what we are currently studying in class, but I thought it was pretty interesting.)

  In Geneva, Switzerland, this magnet will be a major part of a newly designed particle accelerator (called ATLAS), which is part of the “European Organization for Nuclear Research’s Large Hadron Collider.” The particle accelerator is supposed to be in operation late next year.

  A particle accelerator is “a device that uses electric fields to propel electrically charged particles to high speeds and magnetic fields to contain them.” Scientista say the goal of this particle accelerator is to is to “explore the fundamental nature of matter and energy by creating conditions similar to those of the early universe.”

(A Small Particle Accelerator)

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Particle_accelerators_1937.jpg)

 This specific superconducting magnet, which will hold the create and sustain the huge magnetic field, weighs 110 tons, is 16 feet wide, and 82 feet long.  The image of the magnet can be found here: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/11/061121-giant-magnet.html

 Sources:

• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/11/061121-giant-magnet.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superconducting_magnet
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_accelerator