At the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), protons are accelerated to high energies and made to collide with each other. These proton-proton collisions provide scientists with an opportunity to study the fundamental properties of particles and explore the nature of the universe.
Here's a simplified overview of how protons collide at the LHC:
Proton Acceleration: Protons are initially obtained from a gaseous source and injected into a series of pre-accelerators, where they are gradually accelerated to higher energies. The protons pass through a sequence of linear accelerators and circular accelerators, such as the Proton Synchrotron (PS) and the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS), which boost their energy levels.
Main Accelerator Ring: The protons are then injected into the main accelerator ring, which is a circular tunnel with a circumference of approximately 27 kilometers. In the LHC, the protons circulate in opposite directions in two separate beams, with each beam containing billions of protons.
Beam Focusing: Powerful superconducting magnets are used to focus and steer the proton beams as they travel around the accelerator ring. These magnets help maintain the tight trajectories of the beams and ensure that the protons remain on a collision course.
Crossing Points: Within the accelerator ring, there are several crossing points where the proton beams are made to intersect. These crossing points are the locations of the detectors, where the collisions are observed and recorded.
Collisions: When the proton beams cross paths at the crossing points, some protons from one beam collide with protons from the opposite beam. However, not all protons collide simultaneously. The protons in each beam are bunched together, and collisions occur when two proton bunches pass through each other.
High-Energy Collisions: The collision of two protons at the LHC results in extremely high-energy interactions. Particles are created, and new processes and phenomena can be studied. Detectors positioned around the crossing points capture the resulting particles, measuring their properties and trajectories.
Data Analysis: The detectors record the collision events, generating a vast amount of data. This data is then analyzed by scientists to understand the properties of the particles involved, search for new particles or interactions, and test theoretical predictions.
It's important to note that the LHC operates under strict safety protocols, and extensive measures are in place to ensure the controlled and safe operation of the accelerator and the detection of particles produced in the collisions.
By colliding protons at high energies, scientists can recreate conditions that existed shortly after the Big Bang and explore the fundamental building blocks of matter and the fundamental forces that govern them.