The+CERN+Supercollider

CERN = European Organization for Nuclear Research The LHC was first started up on September, 2008 and remains the latest addition to CERN’s [|accelerator complex]. The LHC complex consists of a 27-KM (16.5 Miles) ring of superconducting magnets with a number of accelerating structures to boost the energy of particles along the way.

Inside the accelerator are two high-energy particle beams, that travel nearly the speed of light before they collide. The beams travel in two separate tunnels the tubes are kept at ultrahigh vacuum. they are guided along the ring through a strong magnetic field maintained by superconducting magnets. The magnets are built from coils of special electric cable that operates in a superconducting state efficiently making the particle beam move without resistance or loss of energy. This requires chilling the magnets to a state of ‑271.3°C which is colder that outer space for this the accelerator is connected to a distribution system of liquid helium which cools the magnets. Thousands of magnets are used to direct the beam around the accelerator. These include 1232 dipole magnets 15 meters in length which bend the beams, and 392 quadrupole magnets, each 5–7 meters long, which focus the beams prior to the collision. Another magnet is used to "squeeze" the particles closer to each other to increase chances of collisions. The particles are so tiny that its like shooting 2 needles at the same time with so much precision they meet in the middle.

All the controls, services, and technical infrastructure for the accelerator are housed under one roof at the CERN control center. From here the beams inside the LHC are to collide at 4 different locations around the ring in corresponding with the positions of the four particle detectors- ATLAS, CMS, ALICE, and LHCb

//**Science Is... **// //"Awesome"// - Mr. Brewer

By: Mike Clines

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