If we can get particles at CERN to near-light speeds, why can’t we extrapolate that to rockets?

Question

Alternatively, why can’t we put a particle accelerator on the back of a rocket and use that?

Edit: okay thanks guys it was a dumb question I see that now lol

In: 0

Answer 1

Because the more mass something has, the more energy is required to accelerate it. We are able to get particles in CERN going that fast because they are incredibly small – and thus don’t require all that much energy (still a ton) to accelerate. A rocket a mindboggling amount larger than a single proton, so it takes an _exponentially_ mindboggling amount of energy to move it at the same speed.