Q.Write the limitations of Cyclotron.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →The cyclotron cannot accelerate uncharged particles or (light) electrons, and relativistic mass increase at high speed eventually breaks its fixed-frequency resonance condition, capping the achievable energy.
Limitations of the cyclotron
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Cannot accelerate neutral particles. Since the cyclotron works via the magnetic force on a moving charge, only charged particles (protons, deuterons, alpha particles, heavier ions) can be accelerated -- neutrons and other neutral particles are unaffected.
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Cannot effectively accelerate electrons. Electrons are so light that they reach relativistic speeds at relatively low energies, which increases their effective mass and desynchronises them from the fixed-frequency oscillator very quickly, making the cyclotron impractical for electrons.
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