v.dog: "I have just one question, which no-one seems to answer; How is the CMS at 21 m long, 15 m in diameter and weighing 12 500 tonnes, considered ‘compact’?"
CMS is compact when compared to ATLAS, which is light but takes a lot more volume: 46 metres long, 25 metres high and 25 metres wide; ATLAS weighs 7000 tonnes.
As you can find easily, the CMS volume is roughly 3700 m^3, while the ATLAS volume is roughly 22600 m^3.
That is a factor 6 less in volume, more than the difference from a break to a compact car.
"I have just one question, which no-one seems to answer; How is the CMS at 21 m long, 15 m in diameter and weighing 12 500 tonnes, considered ‘compact’?"
CMS is compact when compared to ATLAS, which is light but takes a lot more volume: 46 metres long, 25 metres high and 25 metres wide; ATLAS weighs 7000 tonnes.
As you can find easily, the CMS volume is roughly 3700 m^3, while the ATLAS volume is roughly 22600 m^3.
That is a factor 6 less in volume, more than the difference from a break to a compact car.