A collider is a type of a particle accelerator with two opposite beams of the particles. One of the early particle accelerators responsible for development of the atomic bomb. ... In particle physics, an elementary particle is a particle of which other, larger particles are composed. ...

In particle physics one gains knowledge about elementary particles by accelerating particles to very high kinetic energy and letting them impact on other particles. For sufficiently high energy, a reaction happens that transforms the particles into other particles. Detecting these products gives insight into the physics involved. Particles erupt from the collision point of two relativistic (100 GeV) gold ions in the STAR detector of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. ... In particle physics, an elementary particle is a particle of which other, larger particles are composed. ... This article may be too technical for most readers to understand. ... A reaction is the following: In physics, a reaction (physics) is defined by Newtons third law: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The idea that any given force has a pair or opposite force. ... Since antiquity, people have tried to understand the behavior of matter: why unsupported objects drop to the ground, why different materials have different properties, and so forth. ...

To do such experiments there are obviously two possible setups:

• Fixed target setup: A beam of particles (the projectiles) is accelerated with a particle accelerator, and as collision partner, one puts a stationary target into the path of the beam.

• Collider: Two beams of particles are accelerated and the beams are directed against each other, so that the particles collide while flying into opposite directions.

The collider setup is harder to construct but has the great advantage, that according to special relativity the energy of an inelastic collision between two particle approaching each other with a given velocity is not just 4 times as high as in the case of one particle resting (as it would be in non-relativistic physics) but can be orders of magnitude higher for relativistic speeds. One of the early particle accelerators responsible for development of the atomic bomb. ... A target can signify: from ca. ... A simple introduction to this subject is provided in Special relativity for beginners Special relativity (SR) or the special theory of relativity is the physical theory published in 1905 by Albert Einstein. ... Inelastic collision is a collision in which some of the kinetic energy of the colliding bodies is converted into internal energy in one body so that kinetic energy is not conserved. ...

High-end colliders are built as ring accelerators -- with the exception of the proposed TESLA facility which is planned as a linear accelerator. -- See particle accelerators for further discussion. The TESLA particle accelerator facility is located Hamburg, Germany. ... A Linear particle accelerator is an electrical device for the acceleration of subatomic particles. ... One of the early particle accelerators responsible for development of the atomic bomb. ...