A particle accelerator is a device that uses electric fields to propel electrically charged particles to high speeds and magnetic fields to contain them.

An ordinary CRT televison set is a simple form of accelerator.

There are two basic types: linear (i.e.

straight-line) accelerators and circular accelerators.

In the circular accelerator, particles move in a circle until they reach sufficient energy.

The particle track is typically bent into a circle using electromagnets.

At present the highest energy accelerators are all circular colliders..

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