Particle beam has What Amount of voltage per meter LHC

In summary, the LHC beam has a 6.5 TeV per proton energy and consists of 1011 protons per bunch, with up to ~2500 bunches per beam and ~11000 revolutions per second. Volts per meter is not a meaningful unit for the beams. Both beams have positive charged particles and generate roughly 50 microCoulomb at design parameters. The amount of current generated by an induction coil next to the beam depends on various factors such as geometry, distance, resistance and inductivity. It is possible to convert a proton beam to electricity, but it is inefficient and slows down the protons in the LHC.
  • #1
bauhaus
15
0
So for sake of example the LHC beam one pointing at the other to cause a collision, the one beam is 6.5 TeV per beam. How can I calculate the volts per meter or given size of pulse? I understand that the particles have kinetic energy in the form of the speed of their travel but theoretically isn't it possible that if you had a positive beam and a negative beam that you could point the beams to a fantastically large cathode and anode of a light bulb and it would light it up as long as the particle beam was continuing to provide a flow of positively charged particles and circuit of negative charge particles. Or at the least you could bleed off that energy with a magnet. Isn't it true that some magnetic force is occurring when the LHC is turned off and the particles are continuing to move past the magnets or it would be true for a short period in a straight accelerator beam, no?

I would like to compare/contrast a charged particle beam to a bolt of lightning to explain to students.
An average bolt of negative lightning carries an electric current of (1)30,000 amperes (30 kA), and transfers (2)15 coulombs of electric charge and (3) 500 megajoules of energy. Duration of 30 microseconds. Wikipedia.

So a 30 microsecond pulse of the LHC would have an electric current of (1) ? amperes and transfer (2) ? coulombs of electric charge and have (3) ? amount of megajoules of energy.

I guess a related question is whether the LHC beam is a charged particle beam which is a spatially localized group of electrically charged particles that have approximately the same position, kinetic energy (resulting in the same velocity), and direction.

Thank you in advanced.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
6.5 TeV per proton in the beam. There are about 1011 protons per bunch, and up to ~2500 bunches per beam (achieved so far: ~1300). They make about 11000 revolutions per second. You can multiply those numbers with the 1 elementary charge per proton to get total charge, beam current and stored energy.

Volts per meter is not a meaningful unit for the beams.

Both beams consist of protons with a positive charge.

bauhaus said:
Isn't it true that some magnetic force is occurring when the LHC is turned off and the particles are continuing to move past the magnets or it would be true for a short period in a straight accelerator beam, no?
Which magnetic force where? When the LHC turns off, the beams get disposed of within a millisecond. Ramping down the magnets afterwards needs about 20 minutes.

bauhaus said:
I guess a related question is whether the LHC beam is a charged particle beam which is a spatially localized group of electrically charged particles that have approximately the same position, kinetic energy (resulting in the same velocity), and direction.
That is a good approximation for the individual bunches, but particles at one side of the ring clearly have a different position and direction than particles at the other side.
 
  • #3
If the beam has positive charged particles then it should have some measurable charge. So I don't know how to precisely communicate the questions but basically I'm asking if you put an induction coil next to the beam how much current would be generated in just one revolution or one pass of the 1,300 bunches consisting of 10 to the 11th power protons in each bunch? Assuming a reasonably sized coil with a reasonable size amount of windings.
So something like:
(1.602176565(35)×10−19 coulombs )x(10 to the 11th power x 1,300) = amount of volts?
You use Faraday's law of induction to determine the amount of current that can be generated. Conceptually, you are doing the reverse of what the LHC does. It uses electricity to create a proton beam. Conversely, you should be able to take a proton beam and convert it to electricity, no?
 
  • #4
bauhaus said:
If the beam has positive charged particles then it should have some measurable charge.
Sure. Roughly 50 microCoulomb at design parameters.
bauhaus said:
So I don't know how to precisely communicate the questions but basically I'm asking if you put an induction coil next to the beam how much current would be generated in just one revolution or one pass of the 1,300 bunches consisting of 10 to the 11th power protons in each bunch? Assuming a reasonably sized coil with a reasonable size amount of windings.
That depends on much more - the precise geometry, the distance to the beam, the resistance of the coil, its inductivity and so on.
bauhaus said:
Conversely, you should be able to take a proton beam and convert it to electricity, no?
Sure, but then you slow down the protons in the LHC, and the conversion is very inefficient.
 

1. How much voltage is used in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle beam?

The LHC particle beam operates at a voltage of 7000 gigavolts (GV) per meter. This high voltage is necessary to accelerate the protons in the beam to nearly the speed of light.

2. What is the purpose of using such a high voltage in the LHC particle beam?

The high voltage in the LHC particle beam is essential for achieving the high energy collisions needed to study fundamental particles and their interactions. The higher the voltage, the more energy the particles have, allowing scientists to explore the universe at a smaller scale.

3. How does the voltage in the LHC particle beam compare to other particle accelerators?

The voltage in the LHC particle beam is significantly higher than other particle accelerators. For example, the Tevatron at Fermilab operates at a voltage of 1,000 GV per meter, while the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory operates at 200 GV per meter.

4. What are the safety precautions in place for handling such high voltages in the LHC particle beam?

The LHC has extensive safety systems in place to ensure the safe operation of the particle beam. These include multiple layers of protection, such as interlocks and safety checks, as well as strict protocols for maintenance and repairs. Additionally, the LHC is operated by highly trained professionals who follow strict safety procedures.

5. Are there any potential risks associated with using such high voltages in the LHC particle beam?

While there are always risks associated with operating large scientific experiments, the LHC has been designed with safety as a top priority. Extensive risk assessments have been conducted and safety measures have been implemented to minimize any potential risks. The LHC has been in operation for over a decade without any major incidents, demonstrating its safety and reliability.

Similar threads

  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
1
Views
799
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
2
Views
956
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
14
Views
2K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
14
Views
1K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
2
Replies
69
Views
11K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
12
Views
2K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
533
Back
Top