Van de Graaff

American  

[van-duh graf] / ˈvæn də ˌgræf /

noun

1. Robert Jemison 1901–1967, American physicist.

---

Van de Graaff Scientific  

/ văn′dəgrăf′ /

1. American physicist who in 1929 invented an improved electrostatic generator (later called the Van de Graaff generator) that was adapted for use as a particle accelerator. The generator became an important research tool for atomic physicists and was also used to produce high-energy x-rays helpful in treating cancer.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Van de Graaff

And the answers may surprise you - a Van de Graaff generator and a theremin.

From BBC ● May 10, 2026

Edward Fenner spent five years working on a graduate research paper at York University of Canada that focused on the partnership between Robert Van de Graaff and John Trump.

From Washington Post ● May 3, 2020

Figure 18.38 Schematic of Van de Graaff generator.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

His energy arcs from stage to auditorium like a Van de Graaff spark.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 10, 2013

There he was immersed in an effort to produce high-energy protons to probe the atomic nucleus, using his balky Tesla coils and Van de Graaff generators.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---