Question

The European XFEL (X-ray Free-Electron Laser) touts its capability as the fastest of its kind worldwide, boasting 27,000 pulses per second. This would roughly equate to about 37 milliseconds per second for each 'pulse.' Consequently, does this suggest that the XFEL operates for only half or possibly a third of that time?

Options:
A) Yes, the XFEL operates for approximately half the time, considering the 37 milliseconds per second for each pulse.
B) No, the XFEL is operational for the entire second but generates 27,000 pulses within that duration.
C) The XFEL operates for less than a third of the time, distributing the 27,000 pulses over this duration.
D) The XFEL operates for approximately two-thirds of the time, dividing the second into 37 millisecond intervals for each pulse.

Answer 1

The XFEL operates continuously for one second, emitting a series of 27,000 pulses, with each pulse lasting approximately 37 microseconds, not milliseconds. Every second is fully utilized for these pulses, and the XFEL is indeed operational the entire time.

Step-by-step explanation:

The European XFEL, with its 27,000 pulses per second, does not suggest that it operates only for a fraction of the time. Rather, these pulses are distributed within the span of one second. When calculating the time per pulse, one would take the total time in seconds (which is 1 second) and divide it by the number of pulses per second. Upon doing this:

Time per pulse = 1 second / 27,000 pulses per second = 0.000037037 seconds per pulse, or approximately 37 microseconds (note: not milliseconds) per pulse.

This means that within one second, the XFEL is fully operational and emitting a rapid series of short pulses, where each pulse lasts for approximately 37 microseconds. Therefore, the correct answer is:

B) No, the XFEL is operational for the entire second but generates 27,000 pulses within that duration.