cyclotron
noun
cy·clo·tron
| \ ˈsī-klə-ˌträn
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Definition of cyclotron
: an accelerator in which charged particles (such as protons, deuterons, or ions) are propelled by an alternating electric field in a constant magnetic field
Examples of cyclotron in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
IsoDAR will take a small cyclotron and use it as a driver to produce lithium-8 that decays, resulting in a very pure source of antielectron neutrinos. — Quanta Magazine, "On a Hunt for a Ghost of a Particle," 8 Dec. 2016 Lederman first made his mark as a young physicist working at Columbia University's spanking-new cyclotron in the 1950s. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Nobel-prize winning physicist who coined “god particle” dead at 96," 3 Oct. 2018 Before the advent of cyclotrons in the late 1930s, Van de Graff generators—which use friction to create static energy—were the most powerful particle accelerators on the planet. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "A DIY Volta Hailstorm Puts Shocking Weather Right In Your Hands," 31 Jan. 2017 The cyclotron was patented on this day in 1934 by Ernest Lawrence, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley. — Kat Eschner, Smithsonian, "Old Particle Accelerator Tech Might Be Just What the Doctor Ordered," 20 Feb. 2017 Scripps Proton Therapy Center opened in 2014 with five treatment bays and a 90-ton cyclotron that used magnets to accelerate protons to two thirds the speed of light. — Paul Sisson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Scripps and proton center part ways," 11 Sep. 2017 A cyclotron, or particle accelerator, creates protons from hydrogen molecules spun at extremely high speeds. — Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press, "Beaumont unveiling high-tech cancer fighter," 13 July 2017 During this ongoing crisis, some proposed a solution that involved going back to the beginning: the cyclotron. — Kat Eschner, Smithsonian, "Old Particle Accelerator Tech Might Be Just What the Doctor Ordered," 20 Feb. 2017 In a cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a beam of calcium atoms slammed into a plutonium target, producing a pair of element 114 atoms for the second time in human history. — Wired Staff, WIRED, "Top Scientific Breakthroughs of 2009," 31 Dec. 2009These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cyclotron.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for cyclotron
cyclotron
noun
cy·clo·tron
| \ ˈsī-klə-ˌträn
\
\
Medical Definition of cyclotron
: an accelerator in which charged particles (as protons, deuterons, or ions) are propelled by an alternating electric field in a constant magnetic field