Types of particles accelerated - DOE-HDBK-1141-2001

Radiological Assessor Training

DOE-HDBK-1141-2001

Instructor's Guide

One electron volt (eV) is the energy gained by an

electron accelerated through an electric potential

of 1 volt.

An electron accelerated across a gap by means

of a 10,000 volt, or 10 kilovolt (kV), potential

difference is said to have gained 10 kilo electron

volts (10 keV) of energy after crossing the gap.

Other energy units commonly encountered at

accelerators are: MeV (1 million, or 106 electron

volts), GeV (1 billion, or 109 electron volts), and

TeV (1 trillion, or 1012 electron volts). These units

of energy are commonly used not only for

electrons, but for all charged particles.

B. Types of particles accelerated

Show OT 13.4.

Particles accelerated include:

Obj. 2

Identify the types of particles

accelerated.

Electrons

Protons

Nuclei of various elements

Show OT 13.5.

C. Types of accelerators

Obj. 3

The accelerated charged particle may move in

Identify the two basic types of

either a linear (straight line) or in a circular

accelerators.

(curved) path as the result of moving

perpendicular to a magnetic field; these are the

two basic types of accelerators.

1. Linear accelerators

Straight-line accelerators suffer from the

disadvantage that the finite length of flight

path limits the particle energies that can be

achieved.

Linear accelerators include:

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