Eye on energy."Cosmic Ray cosmic ray High-speed particle (atomic nucleus or electron) that travels through the Milky Way Galaxy. Some cosmic rays originate from the Sun, but most come from outside the solar system. Font: Supernova remnants rev up ions" (SN: 10/1/05, p. 213) is unfortunately murky. It's confusing to state that accelerating charged particles to high speeds "therefore" produces cosmic rays cosmic rays, charged particles moving at nearly the speed of light reaching the earth from outer space. Primary cosmic rays consist mostly of protons (nuclei of hydrogen atoms), some alpha particles (helium nuclei), and lesser amounts of nuclei of carbon, nitrogen, . And what "charged particles"? Is the "energized" gas in fact "ionized i·on·ize tr. & intr.v. i·on·ized, i·on·iz·ing, i·on·iz·es To convert or be converted totally or partially into ions. i "? "Energized" is too general a word. Finally, why are high-speed particles more easily compressed than slower-moving material? FREDRIC BLUM, MERION, PA. "Energized" means that the charged particles, existing electrons and ions, are speeded up to energies high enough to qualify as cosmic rays. Einstein's theory of special relativity describes why a high-speed gas is especially compressible com·press·i·ble adj. That can be compressed: compressible packing materials; a compressible box. com·press . For less-than-obvious reasons, that theory dictates that if two groups of particles have the same energy but only one is moving close to the speed of light, the latter group--in this case, ions--will exert less pressure and so will be more compressible.--R. COWEN |
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