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Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier

Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier

9.9
A device that makes very high electric voltages to speed charged particles for physics experiments
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : multiplicador de voltaje Cockcroft-Walton
  • Many early particle accelerators relied on a Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier to supply the necessary high voltage.

Examples

  • The Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier enabled scientists to achieve particle energies high enough for nuclear experiments.

  • A technician inspected the Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier for signs of electrical discharge.

  • The Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier is essential in nuclear physics.

  • Many physicists rely on the Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier for experiments.

  • Many early particle accelerators relied on a Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier to supply the necessary high voltage.

  • The Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier enabled scientists to achieve particle energies high enough for nuclear experiments.

  • A technician inspected the Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier for signs of electrical discharge.

Synonyms

Cockcroft and Walton voltage multiplier
vsCockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier
  • Specialized
9.7

A device that makes very high voltages to speed up charged particles

is the same in meaning but written with a hyphenated form

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.