Van de Graaff generator

Van de Graaff generator

Van de Graaff generator

V0020200 (văn′ də grăf′)n. An electrostatic generator in which an electric charge is either removed from or transferred to a large hollow spherical electrode by a rapidly moving belt, accelerating particles to energies of about ten million electron volts.

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[After Robert Jemison Van de Graaff (1901-1967), American physicist.]

Van de Graaff generator

(ˈvæn də ˌɡrɑːf) n (General Physics) a device for producing high electrostatic potentials (up to 15 million volts), consisting of a hollow metal sphere on which a charge is accumulated from a continuous moving belt of insulating material: used in particle accelerators[C20: named after R. J. Van de Graaff (1901–67), US physicist]

Van′ de Graaff` gen`erator

(ˈvæn də ˌgræf)
n. a high-voltage electrostatic generator. [1935–40; after R. J. Van de Graaff (1901–66), U.S. physicist]

Van de Graaff generatorAn electric charge fed through the generator separates into positive and negative charges. The positive charge is carried up to the spherical electrode on a rubber conveyor belt.

Van de Graaff generator

A device used to build up an electric charge by transferring charged particles from a high-voltage power supply to a spherical electrode. When an object, such as a person, touches the electrode, the generator transfers to the object the charge that has built up on the electrode.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Van de Graaff generator - electrical device that produces a high voltage by building up a charge of static electricityelectrostatic generator, electrostatic machine, Wimshurst machineelectrical device - a device that produces or is powered by electricityelectrophorus - a simple electrostatic generator that generates repeated charges of static electricity