A Look at the Emerging Technology of the Large Hadron Collider Essay Example

to a circular tube called the Proton Synchrotron. Here, electronic pulses ensure that the proton attains a constant speed of 99.9% of light's speed while possessing an energy of 25 gigaelectron volts (GeV). Moving on, the proton undergoes further acceleration in the 7KM Super Proton Synchrotron, reaching energies of up to 450 GeV. Ultimately, these protons are sent into orbit within the LHC's rings (Fig. 1).

Both rings measuring 27km are split equally and synchronized, gradually increasing their energy to 7 TeV. One ring moves protons clockwise while the other moves them counter-clockwise at near-light-speed orbits (180000 mi/second). Protons moving in different directions collide at multiple points in four detector caverns, creating millions of collisions. The resulting energy reaches 14 TeV, similar to moments after the big bang, which draws the focus of CERN scientists.

Computers monitor detectors at the collision point to analyze tracks and provide computed data. This data helps scientists answer fundamental questions in particle physics, which the LHC was constructed to assist with. Despite physicists constructing a picture of the particles that make up the universe and their interactions over the last 50 years, some fragments are still missing.

Currently, the LHC is being used for particle physics experiments aimed at acquiring essential scientific information. Six main experiments are being conducted by CERN researchers with the aid of detectors, namely ATLAS, CMS, TOTEM, LHCf, LHCb and ALICE (as depicted in Figure 1.1). Below is a concise overview of each experiment.

Figure 1.1 shows the ATLAS and CMS experiments, which stand for AToroidal LHC ApparatuS and Compact Muon Solenoid. CERN scientists aim to address questions that were not resolved through the work of renowned scientist

Sir Isaac Newton, who is recognized for his contributions to gravity and celestial mechanics.

Scientists are trying to answer several complex yet simple questions about mass, including its source and which particles constitute it, why some particles lack mass and why others weigh what they do. While experimental data is being collected and analyzed, many theorists believe that an explanation for these questions lies in the elusive Higgs boson particle. The ATLAS and CMS experiments are actively searching for signs of this particle. Additionally, CERN scientists are investigating supersymmetric particles in the hopes of determining if they make up the universe's dark matter.

Scientists state that only 4% of the universe consists of planets, stars, and other matter while the remaining 96% is made up of Dark Matter. CERN is currently conducting experiments such as ATLAS and CMS to investigate extra dimensions in the universe that could be much smaller than an atom, prompting questions about their shape, size, hidden nature, potential introduction of new particles, and existence of microscopic black holes. TOTEM experiment uses specialized equipment to examine protons with precision beyond conventional means by placing eight vacuum-sealed silicon detectors at four locations near the collision point next to CMS experiment. This endeavor aims to uncover groundbreaking discoveries.

As per the CERN website, the detectors are created specifically to gauge the cross-sections of protons for determining their effective size. They also provide precise monitoring of the LHC's luminosity as collisions cannot be observed by the naked eye. The TOTEM experiment serves to complement the results obtained from CMS.LHCf (Large Hadron Collider forward), which aims to assist CERN researchers in filling gaps in their understanding of cosmic

rays, such as their origins and locations of production. To simulate cosmic rays under laboratory settings, LHCf employs particles generated inside the ATLAS experiment as a source.

The detectors in the ATLAS experiment are positioned on both sides and gauge the quantity and energy of neutrally charged quarks that emerge from proton collisions within the experiment. This test, in tandem with TOTEM, functions as a complement to the ATLAS experiment instead of supplementing the CMS experiment. Conversely, LHCb (Large Hadron Collider beauty) aims to study antimatter while the ATLAS and CMS experiments concentrate on dark matter.

The CERN LHC website states that matter constitutes most of the universe and that during the Big Bang, equal amounts of antimatter were generated. Nonetheless, when matter and antimatter come into contact, they are transformed into energy and obliterated. The primary objective of the LHCb experiment is to determine why there is an asymmetry between antimatter and matter in the cosmos while also investigating differences between them. Furthermore, ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is being conducted as well.

The objective of the LHC is to reproduce the condition in which the universe was after the Big Bang, a phenomenon that merged various forces and initiated the genesis of everything. At first, quarks, which are fundamental particles, existed in a dense and hot amalgam that metamorphosed into matter, leading to the emergence of life, planets, and stars. Nevertheless, right after that event occurred, quarks could not bond with smaller particles called "gluons" due to extremely high energy levels and temperatures.

The aim of the ALICE experiment, together with the ATLAS, CMS, TOTEM, LHCf, and LHCb experiments at CERN, is to gain

a thorough comprehension of the universe's workings by exploring all aspects of matter - including its properties and origin as well as different types such as antimatter and dark matter - along with associated energies. Furthermore, there is a desire to investigate potential extra dimensions or undiscovered principles in nature specifically by scrutinizing characteristics of the quark-gluon plasma that formed after the Big Bang.

Although CERN scientists have conducted research for a brief period, their quest for answers has not resulted in substantial progress. This is not due to inefficiency but rather because each answer they uncover leads to new and profound questions. A recent article discusses the outcomes of a press release from CERN in Switzerland that was released in September 2011. The release suggests the existence of a particle known as the "ghost particle," which may travel faster than light. This discovery poses a challenge to Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, which states that nothing can move faster than 186000 miles per second while also contradicting established laws of nature.

A CERN researcher suggests that it may be possible to disprove and reverse Albert Einstein's theory in the future, but verifying this discovery requires replicating the presented evidence. Unfortunately, further research on this matter has been postponed due to the LHC's annual winter shut down.

Controversy surrounds the completion of the Large Hadron Collider and its implications for religion and science. Various religious groups fear that this scientific advancement may threaten their faith in their deity, leading to debates on moral and ethical consequences. The controversy stemmed from the LHC's goal to uncover the origin of mass, with significant attention given to the Higgs boson theory

despite alternative theories being proposed.

According to scientists, the Higgs boson particle provides mass to particles like quarks and electrons that are inherently without mass. Finding it using the LHC would enhance our understanding of elementary particles and their mass acquisition. Leon Lederman, a physicist who wrote about the history and quantum physics of this subject, predicts its future and suggests that discovering this particle would serve as conclusive evidence against the existence of God or an omnipotent creator responsible for creating the Universe.

"The God Particle: If the Universe is the Answer, What is the Question?" (Chivers, 2011) caused a religious controversy regarding the LHC and its potential impact on faith. The media sensationalized and many religious individuals were outraged due to a lack of understanding about scientists' goals. However, physicists aimed to explore various research aspects beyond just Higgs boson. Even if it existed, it would raise additional inquiries instead of eliminating belief in a higher power. Despite calming down over time, some physicists still worry about creating black holes from high-speed proton collisions.

After the media released the story, the religious debate subsided and the moral debate took center stage. The potential risk of creating a black hole that could destroy the world was deemed too great compared to the knowledge gained from the experiments. Physicists argued that any black holes created would be microscopic and wouldn't last more than milliseconds. However, Otto Roessler believed that a black hole would instantly start expanding and devouring any particles formed after the proton collision. The fears were so strong that some even went to court to halt the LHC construction, which was almost completed at that time,

until further safety testing could be conducted on the equipment.

Although top scientists believe in the Higgs Boson particle proposed by Peter Higgs in the 1960s, it has not yet been experimentally confirmed as of the end of last year due to its rapid decay which cannot be detected by LHC's particle detectors. Despite being completed in 2007, budget delays, hardware malfunctions, and accidents caused a delay in the first operational phase of LHC until November 2009.

Construction of the Large Hadron Collider, the biggest and most powerful particle accelerator in the world, cost a staggering 18 billion dollars. Its maintenance costs are shared by governments who annually contribute 3 billion dollars, resulting in a significant economic impact. However, this investment yields immense benefits.

The construction of the LHC created job opportunities for numerous skilled workers who were paid well and employed for an extended duration. The contractors responsible for hiring these workers also made profits, with both the contractors and the employees subjected to taxes on their earnings. In addition, various companies were sub-contracted to develop sophisticated equipment such as magnets, silicon, electronics, and vacuum technologies for use in constructing and operating the LHC. Custom made components were also produced by contracted companies during construction.

The construction of the LHC led to the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs, while its current operational state employs thousands of well-educated and well-paid individuals. The facility employs over 2,000 physicists from 37 different countries, and even maintenance personnel are required to hold master's degrees in science or mathematics.

Although unforeseen, the creation of the LHC has led to multiple progressions in healthcare, ultimately affecting major economic stakeholders. Notably,

medical safety has greatly improved through the elimination of bacteria with these advancements. Employing accelerators has grown more prevalent in sterilizing various medical equipment such as catheters, rubber gloves, scalpels, syringes and additional items.

Accelerators have a variety of uses, including the sterilization of containers used to store pathological specimens and human transplants. Both x-ray and chemotherapy treatments rely on miniature particle accelerators, while positron is represented by the "P" in PET scan. When sterilized using irradiation from an accelerator, human transplants can be stored for years, as all bacteria are killed in the process.

Efforts are being made to find a cheaper alternative to chlorinating potable water for sterilization purposes by using an irradiation accelerator. Although the cost is a current obstacle, work is underway to overcome it. Countries such as the U.S., Denmark, Germany, France, Britain and the U have already implemented radiation accelerators for sterilization purposes.

The creation of the LHC has not only advanced technology but also fostered the development of new products, and enabled progress in existing ones in the industry.

The act of eliminating insects in wood serves as a notable example of progress. This process eradicates insects completely, which serves the purpose of averting any potential harm they may cause to the wood or to areas where they are non-indigenous. This technique applies not only to wood products but also to food preservation, cellulose depolymerization, curing coatings, Vulcanization of silicones, and cross-linking of polymers. Countless developments have been made possible by LHC technologies, which have significant benefits in contemporary society.

The scientific community has not only provided us with novel technologies and goods, but it has also generated many employment prospects for

their manufacturing and management. This, in turn, has led to substantial economic ramifications that are immeasurable. Furthermore, the sociological and psychological implications of CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have brought about unforeseen behavioral transformations at both regional and worldwide scales. Analyzing these effects necessitates taking into account factors beyond the public's perception of the LHC.

Merali (2010) stated that they are present to observe. At the European Organization for Nuclear Research, also known as CERN or Centre Européen de Recherches Nucléaires, countless extraordinary and unfamiliar subjects are researched. Despite this, individuals were not considered to be among the objects that were closely scrutinized. The setting at CERN is exceptional compared to other research facilities, which is why investigating people's roles here requires an explanation. The starting point shall be the entrance of the LHC.

At the LHC, researchers are striving to discover the origins of being and the universe's existence, while some fear that the experiments may generate a black hole capable of annihilating Earth. At the entrance, a statue of the Hindu deity Shiva serves as a cautionary symbol; it depicts Shiva engaged in his celestial dance, which brings about the end of a tired cosmos and sets the stage for rebirth.

Zeeya Merali's paper "Physics: The Large Human Collider" explores the concept of CERN, which is an independent entity not bound to legal constraints of countries. Those who work at CERN become part of a commune-like society, with all necessary resources located on-site. Many employees see little reason to leave the self-contained environment for nearby Geneva. The LHC project involves thousands of physicists globally, with 2,250 working within CERN's facility. (Merali, 2010)

Adapting management style to fit

the culture, knowledge pursuit, and communal atmosphere of teams of physicists numbering close to 3,000 on one project improves the research quality. According to Merali (2010), these physicists are willing to forego their individuality and leave their homes to work for the greater whole. While unique life and structure within the LHC caters to the needs of the entire team, the rest of the world observes as these researchers tirelessly strive to understand the origins of our universe. Though as a non-physicist, I have limited knowledge on what happens when two atoms collide at high speed, there are concerns that such research poses a risk and some view it as a threat.

FuturePath website has released an article that outlines the views of particular religious communities on the ongoing research conducted by LHC. The Higgs boson, also referred to as the God particle, is deemed as the primary area of concern for these groups. Uncovering this particle would provide a scientific explanation behind Earth's existence and the universe's purpose, which goes against their belief that a higher power was responsible for creating everything. This discovery would introduce an alternative explanation for creation by identifying what gives matter its mass.

There are two opposing views regarding the LHC, with some supporting it while others oppose it. Eloi Cole is an extremist who went to great lengths to disrupt the supply of Mountain Dew to vending machines at the LHC in an attempt to sabotage its progress. He claimed that he was from the future and wanted to prevent the LHC from destroying the world (Hide, 2010). The search for the fundamental building block of everything has unknown consequences

that will affect all humans regardless of their faith or scientific beliefs. It elicits strong opinions about the quest for Higgs boson.

The scientific and religious communities have been impacted by the LHC's effects on both the social environment of the world and the unique environment created within CERN. The CERN Environmental Management System (EMS), which includes the structure, activities, practices, procedures, and their effects, is responsible for managing the environmental impact. The CERN EMS aligns with ISO14000 standards and undergoes periodic audits to assess effectiveness and potential improvements. The EMS comprises of five distinct elements, namely policy, planning, implementation and operation, checking and corrective action, and management review.

CERN is committed to ensuring clean air and water, and monitors the impact on these resources, including soil and agriculture. The Environmental Management System (EMS) is used to improve environmental practices and document activities in accordance with global standards. CERN uses filters and monitoring stations to minimize atmospheric pollutants produced by accelerator installations, ventilation, heating, and cooling equipment. The result of air quality is measured to ensure compliance with environmental safety practices.

Rivers undergo frequent water quality checks to ensure the water used by CERN remains pure. Furthermore, in enclosed spaces like tunnels, adequate ventilation and air renewal is necessary during accelerator installation. The temperature and humidity must also be optimal for the equipment while pollutants are removed. Two potential sources of pollution from high-energy particles are radioactivity and ozone or nitrogen oxides.

Radioactivity can originate either from direct nuclear interaction in the air or from other targets in the form of fragments that subsequently enter the air. Ionizing radiation causes oxygen molecules to form and create ozone.

Monitoring the amount of ozone and nitrogen oxides released into the air has no impact on CERN. The entire building is surrounded by noise barriers that are regularly monitored. Three parameters affect changes in noise: source noise level, localization (inside or outside of the building), and sources or building treatments.

At CERN, there is a focus on minimizing waste and recycling. Specialized companies are hired to collect, sort, and transport industrial and radioactive waste in accordance with Host States regulations. CERN is consistently improving their waste sorting and recycling efforts with the goal of reducing waste production. The waste produced by CERN can be classified into three categories. Additionally, CERN uses radiation-generating particles and works to minimize radiation.

As the LHC operates, CERN ensures that radiation levels remain low, staying below a few percent of natural levels. The organization abides by strict regulations to prevent any contamination from radioactive materials. Adhering to an internationally accepted radioprotection system, CERN optimizes its facilities and practices to minimize dosages, ensuring that radiological impact stays below regulatory limits. In addition to safeguarding against radiation, CERN takes great care not to alter the landscape. Landscaping projects are carefully adapted to each site, with the planting of trees, bushes, and grassy areas to maintain the natural appearance of the surrounding area.

The LHC PA1 in Meyrin underwent a redesign that involved covering it with timber cladding and dividing its roof into three slightly inclined planes to decrease the building's visual length. Additionally, a mound filled with trees was constructed to block Point 1 from the nearby farm. Furthermore, for the new buildings that house the CMS experiment in PA5 in Cessy, earth spoil

was utilized for landscaping purposes around the site to minimize their visual impact. During its most powerful stage, CERN consumes the greatest amount of electricity when the LHC is operating.

The LHC consumes 120 MW (out of CERN's total 230 MW) which is roughly equivalent to the electricity consumed by households in Geneva's Canton. The LHC's estimated annual energy consumption in 2009, assuming 270 working days, is over 800,000 MWh, including the base-load and experiments. The majority of the LHC's electricity is used to maintain the superconducting magnet system at -271.4oC or -268.

The consumption of the LHC, which depends on the magnets, is around the same as the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) due to the superconducting technology used. Despite the LHC's larger size and higher energy, helium liquid is used to cool its magnets. It is currently unclear how much helium will be lost during operation and will be affected by multiple factors, including power interruptions and other issues.

Before its initial operation, around 120 tons of coolant will be needed to cool and fill the LHC. CERN has previously used electrical equipment containing PCBs for site protection but has taken measures over the last thirty years to eliminate these components. Specialized firms removed all such equipment and thoroughly cleaned affected areas to eradicate any PCB contamination. Pollution discovered in this context was in the form of Hydrocarbons.

CERN has established specific procedures to safeguard its sites from unintended pollution. These procedures cover the secure usage, handling, temporary storage, and disposal of potentially polluting materials. In addition to these measures, general procedures have been put in place to prevent water and ground chemical pollution.

Despite concerns raised

by some individuals about the safety of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), it is expected to yield crucial insights into the nature of the universe and provide essential data for the scientific community. Some people fear that the LHC could create black holes capable of consuming Earth. However, legal efforts to halt work on the LHC have been unsuccessful due to jurisdictional issues. CERN is immunized against court action in its member states and a US court has ruled against proceeding with a case in Hawaii due to lack of jurisdiction.

Despite their expertise, the safety assurances given by CERN scientists for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) may have been mistaken. The National Science Foundation and CERN had to pause work on the LHC in order to re-evaluate its safety due to three potential doomsday scenarios: microscopic black holes that could swallow matter, strangelets that would convert other matter into strangelets upon contact, and magnetic monopoles that could cause a chain reaction resulting in atoms changing into different forms of matter. On September 19th, 2008, there was a magnet quench at CERN which resulted in six tonnes of liquid helium loss, an increase of approximately 100 Kelvin temperature in some affected magnets, lost vacuum conditions in the beam pipe, and mechanical damage. According to CERN's report afterward, a faulty electrical connection was deemed as the most likely cause of this incident and it would take around two months to repair.

The LHC, or Large Hadron Collider, has the ability to offer understanding into the significance of atoms in contemporary society. Its results could have an impact on numerous aspects of life such as technology, ethics, economics, sociology,

psychology, environment, politics and law. The outcomes of the LHC's investigations may bring about groundbreaking discoveries or new impacts that will be discovered with time.

Reference: About the LHC.

The website for the US/LHC - Large Hadron Collider was retrieved on January 29, 2012 from http://www and has a publication date of n.d.

Visitors to uslhc.us can access information about the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) with no specific date of publishing indicated.

On January 29, 2012, you can access the official homepage of the Large Hadron Collider for information by visiting http://lhc.ac.uk/about-the-lhc.html. Additionally, CNET UK offers a beginner's guide to the LHC that you may find helpful.

On January 29, 2012, a source called CNET UK provided videos related to technology and gadgets, which can be accessed at http://videos.cnet.

Discover more about CERN's Large Hadron Collider with this bluffer's guide at co.uk/crave-tv/bluffers-guide-to-the-large-hadron-collider-40001963.

The CERN Press Office can be accessed at http://press.web and was last accessed on January 29, 2012.Visit cern.ch/public/en/LHC/LHC-en.html to access 'The Bottle to Bang' animation on the CERN Document Server.As of January 29, 2012, the homepage for the CERN Document Server can be reached via http://cdsweb.cern.ch/record/1125472.