Relativistic motion in a particle accelerator: Rate of Energy Loss

In summary, the Rate of Energy Loss in eV/s due to radiation for a proton is 5.23eV/s and for an electron is 1.2eV/s.
  • #1
JackFlash
15
0

Homework Statement


(a) Consider a 10-Mev proton in a cyclotron of radius .5m. Use the formula (F1) to calculate the rate of energy loss in eV/s due to radiation.
(b) Suppose that we tried to produce electrons with the same kinetic energy in a circular machine of the same radius. In this case the motion would be relativistic and formula (F1) is modified by an extra factor of [itex]\gamma[/itex][itex]^{4}[/itex]. Find the rate of energy loss of the electron and com¬pare with that for a proton.

Homework Equations


(F1):
P = [itex]\frac{2kq^{2}a^{2}}{3c^{3}}[/itex]

(F1): (modified to have the "extra factor")
P = [itex]\frac{2kq^{2}a^{2}\gamma^{4}}{3c^{3}}[/itex]

[itex]\gamma[/itex] = [itex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^{2}}{c^{2}}}}[/itex]

a = [itex]\frac{v^{2}}{r}[/itex]

KE = .5mv[itex]^{2}[/itex]


The Attempt at a Solution


I did part (a) as best I could. I set kq[itex]^{2}[/itex] = (2.307•10[itex]^{28}[/itex] J•m), solved for v by using the Kinetic Energy formula and converting the 10-MeV value into Joules, doubling it, divide by the proton's mass, and take the square root (my velocity was 43738998.62 m/s). Plug it all into the equation, the answer comes out in J/s. Convert to eV/s and I get 5.21[itex]^{-4}[/itex] eV/s. The book's answer is P = 5.23[itex]^{-4}[/itex] eV/s. I disregarded the small error as due to rounding numbers throughout the equation.

Part (b) is what's grinding my gears. I do the same thing I did to get v as before. 10-MeV into Joules, double, divide by the electron's mass, and square root:

v = [itex]\sqrt{\frac{2(1.6•10^{-12}J)}{9.11•10^{-31}kg}}[/itex]

I get 1.874•10[itex]^{9}[/itex] m/s. That isn't possible at all. But I run with it, solve for gamma (I got an imaginary number given that v was bigger than c), then solve the equation, convert the answer from J/s to eV/s and I get 1.2eV/s. The answer should be 2.05•10[itex]^{5}[/itex]eV/s. The equation I'm plugging all my numbers into looks like this:

P = [itex]\frac{2kq^{2}v^{4}\gamma^{4}}{3c^{3}r^{2}}[/itex]

I understand it may appear that I only tried once, and in laziness decided to post the question on here, but I assure you all that I have tried the problem many times. I'm sure the velocity is wrong, but I don't know how it is wrong. Any help is much appreciated.
 
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  • #2
For relativistic motion, the energy is

[tex]E = \gamma m c^2,[/tex]

so the kinetic energy is

[tex]T = \gamma m c^2 - mc^2.[/tex]

The fact you found [itex]v>c[/itex] was a hint that you were using an invalid nonrelativistic expression. As an aside, the equation above let's you determine [itex]\gamma[/itex] directly.
 
  • #3
Mother of mercy, that's it! Solving for Kinetic Energy to get gamma, then solving for v using the equation I got, then plugging it all into the last equation got me my answer. It also helped me out on the two questions after the one I posted, where my velocities were all just a hair below the speed of light.
Thank you very much. I recognized the equations you posted and was able to get the answers right away. Perhaps I should pay better attention to my textbook, huh?
 

Related to Relativistic motion in a particle accelerator: Rate of Energy Loss

What is relativistic motion in a particle accelerator?

Relativistic motion in a particle accelerator refers to the movement of particles at extremely high speeds, close to the speed of light. This type of motion is necessary in particle accelerators in order to study the behavior and properties of subatomic particles.

How does relativistic motion affect the rate of energy loss in a particle accelerator?

In relativistic motion, the energy of a particle increases as its speed approaches the speed of light. This means that the rate of energy loss also increases, as more energy is required to maintain the high speeds of the particles in the accelerator.

Why is the rate of energy loss important in a particle accelerator?

The rate of energy loss is important because it determines how long a particle can maintain its high speed before it loses too much energy and is no longer useful for experiments. It also affects the efficiency and cost of running a particle accelerator.

What factors can affect the rate of energy loss in a particle accelerator?

The rate of energy loss in a particle accelerator can be affected by several factors, including the type of particles being accelerated, the strength of the magnetic fields used to steer the particles, and the design and construction of the accelerator itself.

How do scientists account for the rate of energy loss in their experiments?

To account for the rate of energy loss in their experiments, scientists use specialized equations and calculations based on the principles of relativity. They also take into consideration the specific conditions and parameters of their particle accelerator in order to accurately measure and analyze the effects of energy loss.

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