In physics, two systems are coupled if they are interacting with each other. Of special interest is the coupling of two (or more) vibratory systems (e.g. pendula or resonant circuits) by means of springs or magnetic fields, etc. Characteristic for a coupled oscillation is the effect of beat.
The concept of coupling is particularly important in cosmology, in which various forms of matter gradually decouple and recouple between each other.
Coupling is also important in physics for the generation of plasmas. In electrical discharges, the coupling of an exciting field and a medium creates plasmas. The quality of the coupling of an exciting field of given frequency to a charged particle depends on resonance.
The specification of the magnetic field and of the length of a dipole determine the angle of rotation of the beam at given particle momentum.
The physics part of the program consists basically in the determination of the particle orbits and of the beam shape.
The geometry part uses the basic parameters and the physics results to generate exactly the layout of an accelerator and, in first approximation, the shape of its elements.
In obtaining a coupling constant for the strong interaction, say in comparison to the electromagnetic force, it must be recognized that they are very different in nature.
This coupling constant is also called the "fine structure constant" since it shows up in the description of the fine structure of atomic spectra.
The lifetime of a particle is proportional to the inverse square of the coupling constant of the force which causes the decay.
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