Making Electron Trees with a Linear Accelerator

[jeeprnovru]

Why didn't you guys tie a wire to the end of that center punch that was leading to ground, just touching the floor...so you don't make yourself such an easy ground???

[dougspair]

...Pretty cool trick, but been around awhile...you charge up the plexiglass, which becomes conductive at high voltage..then, pop it with a spring-loaded center punch..the stored energy instantly goes...through the punch..into your hand....you can also use a nail and a hammer..

[ShadyCrazy2009]

1:44 For the result

[pistonslap]

This is the perfect kind of tinkering for fun to get young people interested in STEM! (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.) We built a Jacob's Ladder at San Jose City College back in the eighties and blew up capacitors with a 500 volt power supply (after our classwork was completed of course). Also, our Laser professor tried to burn through a sample of orbiter tile from the space shuttle and couldn't do it- that's some tough stuff! Science is COOL!

[hayseed1957]

@pistonslap

Thanks for your comments.

I went to SJCC to complete my AS Degree back in 1979 and 1980, right after I got out of the Navy. I had a lot of fun there. I still get my lab books out every once in a while and review them. Great memories of that place.

Science is DEFINATELY cool.. 

I have built a jacobs ladder before, and a Tesla Coil. Those were fun projects.

[dzdice]

@hayseed1957 Yup science rulez.! xD

[thekingsora]

so what was that pump thing you were doing at the beginning

[hayseed1957]

@thekingsora

I am just measuring it with a measuring tape, and putting a mark on the plastic with a spring loaded center punch. That way, if the piece does accidentally "self discharge", while it is beaing radiated, then hopefully it will pop out this spot. It is just an insurance policy that the exit point, or the base of the tree is where you want it.

[DeadHappyFilm]

Well sciences say it is possible that light can travel faster, the math shows it. I haven't seen any evidence yet.

[Gmoooba]

@DeadHappyFilm "sciences say"? Hm. Anyway, in case you mean scientists, they say a lot of things which aren't true. They also say, for example, that the speed of light is CONSTANT (which it of course never is, because it's always travelling through a medium of some sort, and life has different speed depending on the medium through which it travels - even space isn't a perfect vacuum). Math is just a map,not the reality - and scientists have erred throughout history. They still do.

[rafagaxito]

@ston932 Nothing can travel faster than the light, except for the expanding space in the universe.

[mynameissooriginal2]

So what's that you're doing at the beginning of the video with that yellow thing?

[HorizonDelta]

Video is good ! For more Tesla tech pls watch video: "Tesla cold electricity" by HorizonDelta.

[gennaman2bit]

@darksinthe i think it's only a camera auto adjustment

[hayseed1957]

@gennaman2bit

It is not a camera adjustment. The plastic becomes more and more discolored as the total dose is increased.

[gennaman2bit]

@hayseed1957 ok ty 4 answer.

[TAKIZAWAYAMASHITA]

it glows blue from the particle bombardment that creates radiation

[LMF5000]

How exactly did you discharge the block? Why is it that no one got a shock from handling the block with their bare hands - is it because the entire room is electrically isolated from earth and hence the people were at the same electrical potential as the block?

And did the discharging probe have a switch in it that connects it to ground? (Sorry, just trying to figure out what's going on in the video :)

[CrazyMonkey124]

This reminds me of what happens when lightning hits the ground, it creates a tree upside down by melting the sand/dirt together. It's really cool.

[crusiatusblack]

God why wasn't I there, I would laugh at that XD

[vasniltere]

I like how it continues to flash after the shock.

[brianmenendez]

Can you make a Faraday cage to discharge in, that looks painful, that discharge of voltage right through the insulated gloves, ouch

[douro20]

How big is this linac?

[ston932]

@naturechef0282 the arn't but they are moving faster than the wave front of the light in the medium look up Cherenkovs Radiation.

[ViRoy101]

Thats amazing your interested more in linear accelerators and not video games! Keep with it!

Someday you may have one of these for yourself :D

[drewsta199]

actually, im obsessed with video games xD. its just i got very fascinated by what electricity can do, and started exploring on youtube. i was surprised by what i found xD

[DragonFlyback256]

Oh LOL, i should read the descrip, don't i? That was indeed, shocking... xD

[DragonFlyback256]

That's a lot of Cherenkov radiation indeed. I was wondering too. Did the guy who discharged the block shock himself? If it gets discharged through someone, it can be quite ouchy or even lethal, as i imagine.

[hayseed1957]

Thanks, that doesn't make me feel old at all.... ha ha......

But, when all the computers are dead, I will still be able manipulate large numbers using a SLIDE RULE...... ha ha...

[gomunkul]

@hayseed1957 you still would need a log rule and a fat log book ;)

[SouthwesternEagle]

@hayseed1957 What's a slide rule?

[hayseed1957]

@SouthwesternEagle

It is just like an abbucus, only slightly more complicated... LOL.

[hayseed1957]

Yes, It is called Cherenkovs Radiation, I'm pretty sure.

They glow pretty good while being irradiated don't they?.

Accelerators used for Food irradiation and sterilization emit this blue glow as well....The dose rate on those machines are in the Mega Rads per minute.

[ston932]

amazing stuff right there ^^ sure looks like a lot of fun ^^

[aznmasterx]

@hayseed1957 doesn't that cause radioactive poisoning?

[mynameissooriginal2]

@aznmasterx You're thinking of neutron radiation.

[Wodenhelm]

@hayseed1957 Sounds mega rad to me, dude.

[exnol]

@hayseed1957 He is talking about, the blue glow while being irradiated right?

[Gooddeed25]

I am curently working on a BFA. I was looking up fractals as it  relates to art and found this. Capturing lightning looks like fun science. Where would u find a Linear Accelerator?

[hayseed1957]

Mostly in hospitals, in Radiotherapy Centers, battling cancer, but also in industrial locations, for use in non destructive testing and security screening. At Stanford they have one that is two miles long. (SLAC)

[Hexxle]

Lol, I don't think this guy realises that a linear accelerator isn't just something you can go down and buy at Bunnings. Stick to your arts, coz physics aint the thing for you!

[alolly2]

okey, Mr Millionaire....where is the one you promised me? I have wanted one for over 40 years......huh? huh? huh?

[hayseed1957]

I have one with your name on it my Dear Sweet Sister......

Love Ya,

Teenie.

[alolly2]

gimme gimme gimme ...LOL

I love you more than you know!!!!

[hayseed1957]

Same to you, but more of it, my Dear Sweet (But MUCH prettier) (slightly older) Sister..... ha ha.....

[qwertyboy1234567899]

POP! OH MAN!

[hayseed1957]

Well, I am a multi-millionarre, and have several of these machines sitting around, and use them just for fun... Ha Ha... Just kidding, although whenever I do get the rare chance to make some trees, it is REALLY fun.....

[preske]

also, your text zays "lightening bolt frozen in plastic", does it mean it's still in there?

[hayseed1957]

No, it is more like the FOSSIL TRACK left over from when the Lightening bolt was made.

[Envergure]

The "tree" is actually the scorch marks left by the charge passing out of the plastic, and it's very permanent.

[hayseed1957]

Scorch Marks?. Doesn't look like scorch marks to me.. For a more detailed explanation, please see Bert Hickmans website, as mentioned in the "more info" description

Also, yes, they are permanent, but if you leave it in a window sill for several years, the sun will make the tree slowly disappear, along with the discoloration

Some plastic turns slightly green, some slightly blue, some slightly brown, depending on the chemical makeup of the plastic from different manufacturers

[hayseed1957]

Some particular plastics will not hold a charge at all, just gets discolored, the more ionized radiation that is applied, then the more discoloration occurs.

[preske]

sooooo... Other than using this 2 million dollar whatsitcalled to make trees in plastic, what else is this used for?

It got me thinking to use in a couple of projects. Can it be put in any kind or thickness of plastic? or has it to be a specific kind of plastic and thickness.

And can these sculptures be made on request or bought?

[hayseed1957]

They have many uses, Cancer Treatment, Research, Non-destructive testing. Security inspection, and numerous others. The thickness of the irradiated object is determined by the energy of the electron beam coming out. These machines range from 6 to 30 Mega Volts.

If you were to read the (more info), I explain there is a person, Bert Hickman, on the East Coast who sells them at reasonable prices, and I provide a link to his website.

Regards.

[hayseed1957]

Well, it weighs about 36,000 lbs and costs appx 2 Million dollars, plus the vault to put it in. You need several feet of extra dense concrete. Hope that answers your question.