Question

What is the working principle of a cyclotron?

• A. Conservation of energy
• B. Lorentz force
• C. Electromagnetic induction
• D. Coulomb’s law

Hint:

Cyclotrons are used in nuclear physics to accelerate particles for experiments and medical applications.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

A cyclotron accelerates charged particles using a perpendicular magnetic field and an alternating electric field. 

The principle involves the Lorentz force: \[ F = q(v \times B), \] where: \( q \) is the charge of the particle, \( v \) is the velocity, \( B \) is the magnetic field. 

The magnetic field forces the charged particles into a circular trajectory, while the electric field accelerates them each time they cross the gap between the dees.