atom smasher

/ˌædəm ˈsmæʃər/

Definitions of atom smasher

1. noun

   a scientific instrument that increases the kinetic energy of charged particles
   synonyms: accelerator, particle accelerator

   types:

   betatron, induction accelerator

   accelerates a continuous beam of electrons to high speeds by means of the electric field produced by changing magnetic flux

   charge-exchange accelerator

   an accelerator in which high-energy ions escape from plasma following charge exchange

   Cockcroft and Walton accelerator, Cockcroft and Walton voltage multiplier, Cockcroft-Walton accelerator, Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier

   a high-voltage machine in which rectifiers charge capacitors that discharge and drive charged particles through an accelerating tube

   collider

   an accelerator in which two beams of particles are forced to collide head on

   cyclotron

   an accelerator that imparts energies of several million electron-volts to rapidly moving particles

   linac, linear accelerator

   ions are accelerated along a linear path by voltage differences on electrodes along the path

   bevatron

   a cyclotron that accelerates protons up to several billion electron volts

   electron accelerator

   collider that consists of an accelerator that collides electrons and positrons

   microwave linear accelerator

   linear accelerator that uses microwaves

   proton accelerator

   a collider that collides beams of protons and antiprotons

   superconducting supercollider

   a collider that operates at very low temperatures

   synchrocyclotron

   cyclotron that achieves relativistic velocities by modulating the frequency of the accelerating electric field

   synchrotron

   cyclotron in which the electric field is maintained at a constant frequency

   type of:

   scientific instrument

   an instrument used by scientists