Betatrons

/ˈbeɪtətrɑnz/ noun

Definition

Plural of betatron; multiple particle accelerators that use magnetic fields to accelerate electrons and produce intense radiation.

Etymology

Regular English plural of 'betatron,' formed by adding '-s.' The singular term originated in physics laboratories in the 1940s as scientists named their new technology.

Kelly Says

Hospital physics departments in the 1950s-70s had rooms full of betatrons—their presence marked the moment medicine became dependent on extreme particle physics, turning cancer treatment into an atomic-age endeavor.

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