= Particle accelerator
{wiki}
A particle accelerator increases the <kinetic energy> of <charged particles> through the <work> of an <electric field>. A single <electric potential difference> $V$ gives an <energy> gain of magnitude $|q|V$ to a particle of <electric charge> $q$ crossing in the accelerating direction. Reusing a smaller <electric potential difference> many times can give a much larger final <kinetic energy> without requiring the whole apparatus to withstand the equivalent single voltage. A <magnetic field> can return the particles to the accelerating region: <magnetic forces do no work>, but they make repeated <energy> gains possible. The <cyclotron> turns this separation between bending and acceleration into a particularly elegant machine.
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