Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier
- noun
- Specialized
- Many early particle accelerators relied on a Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier to supply the necessary high voltage.
Examples
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The Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier enabled scientists to achieve particle energies high enough for nuclear experiments.
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A technician inspected the Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier for signs of electrical discharge.
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The Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier is essential in nuclear physics.
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Many physicists rely on the Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier for experiments.
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Many early particle accelerators relied on a Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier to supply the necessary high voltage.
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The Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier enabled scientists to achieve particle energies high enough for nuclear experiments.
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A technician inspected the Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier for signs of electrical discharge.
Synonyms
A device that makes very high voltages to speed up charged particles
Surface Forms
Morphology
Cockcroft-Walton + voltage + multiplier
The core compound 'voltage multiplier' is directly interpretable from 'voltage' (electric potential) + 'multiplier' (something that increases), so a learner can infer it denotes a device that increases voltage. 'Cockcroft-Walton' is a proper name identifying a particular design and does not obscure the compositional meaning, although the detailed technical mechanism (capacitors/rectifiers) is specialized knowledge beyond B1.
Etymology
Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier is named after two scientists who built a simple device to make very high electricity from small parts. They used parts that 'stack' small voltages like steps on a staircase, so the multiplier adds those steps to give a much higher voltage.