1. a type of particle accelerator that uses a changing magnetic field to accelerate electrons in a circular path
Usage: physics

Examples

• The betatron was invented in 1940 by Donald Kerst.
• Scientists used the betatron to study high-energy electron behavior.
• The betatron accelerates electrons to very high speeds using magnetic induction.
• Early betatrons were important tools in nuclear physics research.
• The laboratory’s betatron could produce X-rays for medical imaging.
• Modern particle accelerators have largely replaced the betatron for most applications.