What happens at absolute zero?

[weeman]

If we used water in an experiment that achieved absolute zero, what characteristics would it take?<br /><br />If it exists as a gas, liquid, and solid, would it still be a solid (like ice) at absolute zero? <br /><br />If you could theoretically hold a sample of water that was frozen at absolute zero, would it behave like ice? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>

 

[enigma10]

Since absolute zero is defined as the point at which molecules do not move (relative to the rest of the body) more than they are required to by a quantum mechanical effect called zero-point energy,Absolute Zero -Absolute zero definition2 It would be safe to assume the last physical state prior to obtaining this temperature would be its final state. Also, since any matter that "behaves" is interreacting with its enviroment, therefor creating kinetic or thermal heat, it would no longer be at absolute zero. <br /><br /> One must be carefull when searching for definition of Absolute zero. Very often, the definition is ... incomplete at best. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"<font color="#333399">An organism at war with itself is a doomed organism." - Carl Sagan</font></em> </div>

 

[vogon13]

It would disappear.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[sad_freak]

time stop and the universe implodes. <br /><br />but we'll never know anyway since you can never reach 0 K, you can only get close. but in theroy 0 K is when everyhting is at it's base enrgy, or ground state. eveything had a solid state and all metals are superconductors. at 0k electrons would, in theroy, stop moving. but of couse they only more more slowly the close you get (this results in weaker van der waal's forces and less temporty and induced di-pols forming - if you like the chemistry - which explains why they're solid). <br /><br />but it's very difficult to remove all the enrgy from somthing like that. for the reason above. ^^

 

[vogon13]

The Universe Between is another sci-fi novel (IIRC) that involves low temp research.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

At absolute zero, all atomic motion stops. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[enigma10]

Why is there an inconsistancy in the definition of this term?<br /><br /> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:Absolute+zero&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title<br /><br /> some say all atomic motion stops, others say it reaches a minimum. Which is true? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"<font color="#333399">An organism at war with itself is a doomed organism." - Carl Sagan</font></em> </div>

 

[vogon13]

But therein lies the rub.<br /><br /><br />You have specified 'energy' with infinite precision (zero), and therefore, position is infinitely vague, according to Heisenberg.<br /><br />The material disappears, it no longer being definably anywhere.<br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[weeman]

mmkay, I know how to make my roommates disappear, freeze them to absolute zero <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />So, with multiple definitions on this subject, it sounds like we don't know much about it. Obviously it can only be theory since it is impossible to actually achieve this temperature. <br /><br />It is mind boggling to think that the object that reaches absolute zero would vanish. If this theory is correct, would this be what happens to the Universe if it expanded forever and eventually died out? If all matter ends, or decays into nothing over trillions of years, then wouldn't the Universe essentially reach absolute zero? Would this mean the end of the Universe? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>

 

[lukman]

Any relationship between absolute zero with speed of light? in theory, although impossible, if we travel ftl. time will tick backward, what will happen if we can get something into below 0 Kelvin? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[ianke]

0 deg K is it lukman. You can not get colder than that. There is no more thermal energy to extract.<img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[chesh]

Absolute zero cannot any more be achieved than accelerating any mass to light speed. since neither can happen, discussing the impossible is a waste of time.<br /><br />However, at near absolute zero some very interesting things such as Bose-Einstein condensates with a common quantum state can occur. Those we can discuss and relate to quantum computing and learning more about quantum processes. <br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bose%E2%80%93Einstein_condensate<br /><br /> http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11376-photons-life-cycle-watched-in-full.html

 

[SpeedFreek]

And the reason that absolute zero cannot be achieved?<br /><br />Because at absolute zero, absolutely nothing can happen.<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000">_______________________________________________<br /></font><font size="2"><em>SpeedFreek</em></font> </p> </div>

 

[chesh]

By sending in the photons necessary to measure absolute zero, even if it had been achieved, the temperatures would then climb above absolute zero. For that reason alone absolute zero cannot be detected and even if detected cannot be known to have been achieved.<br /><br />Further the laws of quantum processes are NOT precluded at absolute zero, simply kinetic movements of all particles full stop. Chemical reactions stop, but nothing else. Stopping that does not turn off the universe as your post has so tongue in cheekily stated.<br /><br />Physics is so wonderful.

 

[SpeedFreek]

Yes, was thinking purely in terms of <i> achieving </i> absolute zero, like accelerating to the speed of light.<br /><br />The quantum level is indeed another matter entirely. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000">_______________________________________________<br /></font><font size="2"><em>SpeedFreek</em></font> </p> </div>

 

[chesh]

The only processes which utterly stop at Zed K. are molecular movements. The atoms keep their shapes, electro-magnetic effects still work and so does gravity and the rest of physics.<br /><br />It is an abeyance of molecular movements of atoms and chemical reactivity. Everything else remains intacta. If the collection of molecules is small enough, quantum effects then become more pronounced in the right conditions. <br /><br />True, molecular atomic kinetic motions come to a halt, but NOTHING else does.