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-   -   What exactly is an atom smasher? (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=391629)

  • Aug 29, 2009, 10:12 AM
    mudweiser
    What exactly is an atom smasher?
    Okay so I tried googling it, and well I'm no scientist, and I don't understand most of what the articles say.

    I really do want to know more about this machine.

    What is it's purpose, and why do people think the world is going to come to an end because of it?


    http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:...tomsmasher.jpg http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:...09/15/lhc1.jpg http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...2BCollider.jpg http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:...x286_popup.jpg




    Dammit, I feel dumb, but I want to learn!

    Sarah
  • Aug 29, 2009, 10:17 AM
    shazamataz

    They literally smash atoms together at an insane speed.
    They either have already or they think they have figured out how to make gold.

    One of the possible outcomes is creating a black hole... oh joy.

    The morning they turned the darn thing on there was this creepy pink glow in the sky in the middle of the night here!
    I know it was just co-incidence but it scared the bejeezus out of me.

    EDIT - I see capuchin is reading this so I am prepared for my answer to be very wrong haha
  • Aug 29, 2009, 10:19 AM
    mudweiser
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shazamataz View Post
    They literally smash atoms together at an insane speed.
    They either have already or they think they have figured out how to make gold.

    One of the possible outcomes is creating a black hole.... oh joy.
    Oh okay thanks Shazzy.

    What is a black hole?
    ANSWER: A black hole is a theoretical entity predicted by the equations of general relativity. A black hole is formed when a star of sufficient mass undergoes gravitational collapse, with most or all of its mass compressed into a sufficiently small area of space, causing infinite spacetime curvature at that point (a "singularity"). Such a massive spacetime curvature allows nothing, not even light, to escape from the "event horizon," or border.

    Black holes have never been directly observed, though predictions of their effects have matched observations. There exist a handful of alternate theories, such as Magnetospheric Eternally Collapsing Objects (MECOs), to explain these observations, most of which avoid the spacetime singularity at the center of the black hole, but the vast majority of physicists believe that the black hole explanation is the most likely physical representation of what is taking place.


    What will it do?
    ANSWER: so it'll smush up the earth and kill us all?

    [If feeling very learny today... I know learny is not a word].

    Sarah
  • Aug 29, 2009, 10:21 AM
    shazamataz

    Beats me haha

    I just know that everything gets sucked into them into oblivion.
    So black hole = no us.

    Apparently it's only a very slim chance but all it takes is for them to smash the wrong set of atoms together and ka-blewy.
  • Oct 5, 2009, 06:16 PM
    KUXJ
    You girls are funny,:p give me a little time to post a heads-up 'bout the LACROSS mission to the Moon in search for water, that will end in a crash landing on Friday... Serious... I'm working on shaz's G&P response now. Should have it posted by mid-night :p
    :p k :p:p:p
  • Oct 5, 2009, 06:26 PM
    KISS

    Particle accelerator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  • Oct 5, 2009, 06:31 PM
    ballengerb1

    Atom smashers have been around for over 80 years and no cablooey yet. They breaker apart the elctrons and protons with a fast stream of sub atomic particles. Every old style tube TV has a verion of an atom smasher, cathod tube.
  • Oct 5, 2009, 07:56 PM
    KUXJ
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mudweiser View Post
    Okay so I tried googling it, and well I'm no scientist, and I don't understand most of what the articles say.

    I really do want to know more about this machine.
    Then prepare for a fantastic ride... First, have you been to this link yet? LHC_Homepage

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mudweiser View Post
    What is it's purpose, and why do people think the world is going to come to an end because of it?
    It's purpose is to help in finding a "Unified Theory of Everything" See; Unified Theory of Everything - Google Search Try the nova link first.

    There is a possibility that miniature black holes will be created, but theoretically they would be so small, and last for for such a short time. They could not affect the earth

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mudweiser View Post
    Images deleted for brevity

    Dammit, I feel dumb, but I want to learn!

    Sarah
    A man once said... "I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious."

    Albert Einstein, (March 14, 1879 ~ April 18, 1955)

    K
  • Oct 13, 2009, 08:31 PM
    asking

    And don't forget the Large Hadron Collider rap.
    YouTube - Large Hadron Rap
  • Oct 13, 2009, 11:00 PM
    KUXJ
    "The Big Bang Machine" on Discovery Channel, channel 284 on DirecTv, not sure what channel if you don't have DTV.

    It'll run two more times, all on Discovery Science Channel:
    Wed. 4pm 10/14
    Thurs. 4am 10/15
    Time is EDT

    Can't watch then? Set your tivo...

    K
  • Nov 2, 2009, 06:30 PM
    Serious Student

    If a Black Hole was created, it wouldn't do anything and by Hawking's Radiation it would fizzle out within micro seconds. Such 'primordial' Black Holes would have a very small mass. The gravitational attraction of Black Holes is also depended on it's mass, hence the degree of space time curvature. The only reason why light falls in is because of the warped curvature seeing as light uses this '4th dimensional medium' in which to travel - so it would travel straight into a Black hole.

    'Massful' particles are merely affected by the gravity - although I can't understand why a Constant mass has it's gravitational attraction exponentially increased just by it being compressed.

    Please advise?
  • Nov 3, 2009, 10:00 PM
    KUXJ
    Hi Serious, there's something 'bout your first paragraph...

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Serious Student View Post
    If a Black Hole was created, it wouldn't do anything and by Hawking's Radiation it would fizzle out within micro seconds. Such 'primordial' Black Holes would have a very small mass.
    So far I agree.
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Serious Student View Post
    The gravitational attraction of Black Holes is also depended on it's mass, hence the degree of space time curvature. The only reason why light falls in is because of the warped curvature seeing as light uses this '4th dimensional medium' in which to travel - so it would travel straight into a Black hole.
    You infer a black hole (bh) is eternal.

    Hawking proved that as a bh "acquires" mass, the negative charge of this mass accumulates, and as it accumulates, it eventually dissipates the bh, while the positive is radiated back out into the Universe, (Hawking Radiation (HR))

    Would you agree or disagree that HR applies to all bh regardless of life duration or mass?

    ~ ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Serious Student View Post
    'Massful' particles are merely affected by the gravity - although I can't understand why a Constant mass has it's gravitational attraction exponentially increased just by it being compressed.

    Please advise?
    Quote:
    If a Black Hole was created, it wouldn't do anything and by Hawking's Radiation it would fizzle out within micro seconds. Such 'primordial' Black Holes would have a very small mass
    Therefore no singularity?

    Once a singularity is created the bh doesn't compress, it stretches.
    It is in this stretching that quantum mechanics (qm) takes over, and increases the g force.

    Kip Thorne has new insight in the workings of bh. Essentially he is saying that once a singularity is created the bh becomes invisible, again qm.
    I caught it in one of his interviews, but have been unable to refer back to it. Do you have any information on this?

    K
  • Nov 3, 2009, 10:18 PM
    J_9
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by KUXJ View Post
    Would you agree or disagree that HR applies to all bh regardless of life duration or mass?
    Ummm, SS has been banned, so he won't be answering your question. ;)
  • Nov 3, 2009, 10:26 PM
    KUXJ
    Thanks, J_9, for the update.
  • Nov 4, 2009, 06:52 AM
    Unknown008

    Hmm.. that was pretty fast ;)
  • Nov 4, 2009, 08:51 AM
    KUXJ
    So is my post tainted?. :eek:

    Are my observations valid?. :confused:

    Who now will pick up the flag?. :)
  • Nov 4, 2009, 08:59 AM
    excon

    Hello Sarah:

    I noticed nobody answered your question...

    We want to know what makes up the Universe. We're still trying to figure it out. So, when they smash atoms into each other, particles are given off that haven't been identified yet, and they want to KNOW what those particles are.

    Will this research make your life better?? I think so.

    excon
  • Dec 4, 2009, 05:00 AM
    KUXJ
    Cern takes the lead:
    CERN Press Release
  • Dec 4, 2009, 11:13 AM
    mudweiser

    Hi, thanks guys for all the replies.

    The only reason I haven't posted anything else is basically because you guys answered my question and then everything else is a kind of gibberish to me. It's like my brian hit a stop... hmm I think I need to read some more...

    Anywhozzils, thanks!

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