Energy in the LHC beam at any time

In summary, the large hadron collider beam contains approximately 724 MJ or 201 kWh of energy at full power and peak luminosity. This is enough energy to boil two tons of water or produce the same amount of energy as burning 5 gallons of gasoline. However, it is not enough to create a black hole that would destroy the earth. The total energy in the beam is determined by the number of protons circulating at any given time.
  • #1
smallphi
441
2
Can someone that has the data calculate what is the average energy in the large hadron collider beam at any moment of time. It's pretty straightforward, you have N particles which such and such speed and energy, you just sum up. I am not talking at all about the energy to support the supermagnets or the other systems, not the energy to support the beam, but the energy in the beam at fixed time.

Although the protons fly at huge speeds the energy/proton is not very significant if measure in Joules. I have no idea how many protons are circulating in the beam at any time, that would determine the total energy.

I wonder if it's enough to warm up a cup of coffee? LOL This would put all the ridiculous questions about black holes and time machines to rest ...
 
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  • #2
https://edms.cern.ch/file/445830/5/Vol_1_Chapter_2.pdf

724 MJ or 201 kWh. Approximately equal to the energy produced by burning 5 gallons of gasoline, and enough to boil two tons of water.

That is at full power and peak luminosity. We won't see that kind of energy density till sometime in 2009.
 
  • #3
smallphi said:
I wonder if it's enough to warm up a cup of coffee? LOL This would put all the ridiculous questions about black holes and time machines to rest ...
Well, we've all seen that reporters are primarily interested in what titillates, not what informs. As long as anyone with a PhD anywhere says black holes may form and that black holes are not well understood, the stage is set for dire predictions.

Your approach to putting it all in perspective is interesting though.
 
  • #4
Thanks for the data hamster143 :) It's not as low as I imagined but definitely not enough to produce a black hole that will 'destroy the earth' LOL
 
  • #5
That would be 8 nano grams of relativistic protons :)
 
  • #6
Planck energy is 543 kWh. So if you could focus all energy in both beams in one point, you'd come pretty close to creating a black hole, even in conventional physics without extra dimensions.
 

Related to Energy in the LHC beam at any time

1. What is the purpose of the LHC beam?

The LHC beam is used to accelerate and collide particles at high energies in order to study the fundamental building blocks of matter and the forces that govern them.

2. How much energy does the LHC beam contain at any given time?

The LHC beam contains an incredible amount of energy, equivalent to the kinetic energy of a train traveling at 99.9999991% of the speed of light. This corresponds to an energy of 6.5 trillion electron volts (TeV) per beam, or 13 TeV for both beams.

3. How is the energy in the LHC beam controlled?

The energy in the LHC beam is controlled by a complex system of superconducting magnets and radiofrequency cavities. These magnets are used to steer and focus the beams, while the cavities provide a continuous supply of energy to keep the particles moving at high speeds.

4. What happens to the energy in the LHC beam during collisions?

During collisions, the energy in the LHC beam is converted into mass through Einstein's famous equation, E=mc². This allows for the creation of new particles and the study of their properties.

5. Is the energy in the LHC beam dangerous?

No, the energy in the LHC beam is not dangerous. The LHC is designed and operated with strict safety measures in place to ensure the protection of both the researchers and the general public. Additionally, the energy in the LHC beam is only released in controlled collisions and does not pose a threat outside of the accelerator.

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