A cyclotron utilizes a perpendicular magnetic field and an alternating electric field to accelerate charged particles.
This process is governed by the Lorentz force: \[ F = q(v \times B), \] with \( q \) representing the particle's charge, \( v \) its velocity, and \( B \) the magnetic field.
The magnetic field compels the charged particles into a circular path, and the electric field provides acceleration each time the particles traverse the gap between the dees.