Atom Smasher

The interior of Plexiglas samples are irradiated by an electron beam from a 10 million electron volt (MeV) particle accelerator at NPL. The excess negative charge is discharged and the electrons escape with a bright flash and loud bang. The hot, lightning-like discharges create a fractal pattern of fractures inside the acrylic resulting in an overall branching "Frozen Lightning" sculpture (Lichtenberg Figure).

This video was created by NPL's Outreach manager Andrew Hanson with technical assistance from Chris Thomas who runs the NPL Linear Accelerator.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Lightning
• Lichtenberg Figure
• NPL
• Linear Accelerator
• Atom Smasher
• high-voltage
• Cherenkov radiation
• speed of light
• Tesla
• sparks
• discharge
• fulgurite
• electron tree
• fractal
• dielectric breakdown
• beam
• acrylic
• capacitor
• static electricity
• electrons
• MeV
• accelerator
• electric
• electrical
• spark tree

[julianalright]

Mind blowing! I read a High Momentum Particle Identification, a detector currently under construction for ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment), one of the six experiments at the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) at CERN. All related I feel. I am still trying to work out how this experiment breaks through the speed of light when I thought Einstien said nothing could go faster than the speed of light? Great to see such a great video up on youtube. Wow just like looking at the tree of life!

[NPLdigital]

Thanks for this. We still agree with Einstein- the speed of light in a vacuum is the universal speed limit. Matter reduces light speed, in fact, refractive index tells us by how much. Plexiglas with its refractive index of about 1.5 slows light to 1/1.5 = 2/3 of its vacuum speed. The electrons in this experiment were initially moving faster than 2/3 speed of light in a vacuum so exceed the normal speed limit in the Plexiglas, hence the Cherenkov radiation (light equivalent to sonic boom).

[shield543]

@corakmoon they didn't blow up, foo

[shield543]

@SilverTrippyHaze u pwned him dude

[SilverTrippyHaze]

@TheOxycodone You do know the speed of light is roughly 1.08 BILLION kilometers per hour?

[TheOxycodone]

i had a idiotic quantom pshycis dude at my dinner table once, and he was bragin about all things he know like a frekkin nerd up in my face trying to say how smart he is, he said nothing goes faster than the speed of light (we had an argument about it), but then i saw the first episode of " 7 Wonders of the solar system" and at some point in that program he said that some particles from the sun move up to 1-2 million kilometers per hour, so... things CAN move faster than the speed of light, peace

[austinboboston1]

so how do we know adam in the bible didnt have a full name adam atom smasher makes perfect sense and EVE was the resembalance of atoms being recreated think about it the fall of man adam. He never stop EVE from eatin the apple. now I suppose you say how could this relate to this topic of atom smasher well quite simple the story itself explains it you can never repair and atom you can only willingly recreate it.

[austinboboston1]

so how do we know adam in the bible didnt have a full name adam atom smasher makes perfect sense and EVE was the resembalance of atoms being recreated think about it the fall of man adam. He never stop EVE from eatin the apple. now I suppose you say how could this relate to this topic of atom smasher well quite simple the story itself explains it you can never repair and atom you can only willingly create it.

[corakmoon]

Wait so when atoms blows up it makes an electrical glass tree?

[blankpaper66]

lol i did too xD. scared the shit out of me xD

[iminyourbasement]

what is that button!!!!!!!!!!IT SAIS REATARD!!!!!!LOL LOOK 1:12 HAHA