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What Is a Particle Accelerator Used For?

Particle accelerators are more than just giant super-machines that smash atoms; they're a larger part of your everyday life than you might think. That's because particle accelerators are used to create high energy rays that can be used for many different purposes. Uses for particle accelerators run the gamut from pure theoretical research to medical applications to creating functionality in common objects. In fact, you might use a small-scale version of a particle accelerator every day if you own a television.

Television
- Particle accelerators provide the energy needed to create a glowing picture on your television screen. The actual particle accelerator is found in the cathode ray tube (CRT). Electrons begin at one end of the tube. The CRT then accelerates them with electromagnets until they collide with the layer of phosphorous found on the screen. At each point where they collide, the screen lights up; this small area is called a pixel. These CRTs are also used in computer monitors.
Medical Treatment
- Several common medical treatments take advantage of the power of particle accelerators. For example, particle accelerators are used in X-ray machines and in radiation therapies for cancer treatment. Linear accelerators are particularly important in cancer treatment because they often allow doctors to treat areas that are difficult to reach with other methods.
Security
- Particle accelerators can provide a non-invasive alternative to searches of trucks or containers. X-rays produced by particle accelerators are often used to determine whether the items in question are what they're supposed to be and whether there are any contraband items hidden among them.
Fundamental Research
- Scientists use particle accelerators to answer some of life's hardest questions, such as those related to the origins of the universe and mass. To produce the data they need for their research, scientists use enormously large and powerful particle accelerators. An example of a giant particle accelerator is the Large Hadron Collider located near Geneva, Switzerland, a circular accelerator that is buried more than a half of a mile underground. As scientists learn from the tiniest building blocks of matter, they increase the general understanding of how the world functions.
Applied Research
- In addition to trying to understand the world around us, scientists use the information gained from particle accelerators to make the world a better place to live. Scientists attempt to use the research that is conducted today to provide future generations with better cancer treatments, cleaner nuclear energy, a less polluted Earth and more.

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