Thread: absolute zero

Originally Posted by Sesquipedalian

We have gotten REALLY close. I think the current world record is .0000006 degrees K, or 600 billionths of a degree Kelvin. (nanokelvins?) Though trying to get closer seems, well, pointless, there are some interesting phenomena that occur at those temperatures. (Helium flows uphill, for example)

wow, you mean that liquid helium is lighter than air? thats pretty cool.

and that would be closer to micro than nano

Originally Posted by RedfishBluefish

Doesn't heisenberg uncertainty say that absolute zero is impossible? The particles would have to have exactly zero velocity, but they must have some velocity if they are dancing about with an infinitely uncertain position: proof by paradox. Or at least I think that was the argument...

Another way of putting it:

If you stop an electron completely, you know both the velocity(0) and the location, which is not allowed by Heisenberg Uncertainty.

Originally Posted by slash112

wow, you mean that liquid helium is lighter than air? thats pretty cool.

and that would be closer to micro than nano

No liquid is lighter than any gas.

The Helium doesn't spread out; it literally creeps uphill to seek lower ground; for example, it would creep up the edges of a cup and then over and onto the floor.

It's an effect of quantum physics called superfluidity.

Originally Posted by Xei

No liquid is lighter than any gas.

The Helium doesn't spread out; it literally creeps uphill to seek lower ground; for example, it would creep up the edges of a cup and then over and onto the floor.

It's an effect of quantum physics called superfluidity.

oh my god, thats even cooler than a lighter than air liquid. its like its alive, thats amazing. i so need to read about superfluidity.

We have been within fractions of a degree to Absolute Zero, but not reaching it because the particles are in constant, random motion. This prevents the reach of Absolute Zero due to expulsion of energy.