- We are learning some new states of matter. Not just solid, liquid, and gas, but, totally different matter.
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- First, we need to acknowledge that matter and energy are the same thing only separated by a constant 90,000,000,000,000,000, which happens to be the speed of light squared, meters^2 /seconds^2.
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- Second, we need to recognize that Ordinary Matter is only 5% of the composition of the Universe. 75% is Dark Energy and 20% is Dark Matter. That 5% left over is Ordinary Matter and it usually comes in solid, liquid, or gas. It is made of atoms and atoms are made of quarks and electrons.
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- For example, water molecules are solid when ice, liquid when water, and gas when the molecules are water vapor in the atmosphere. The state of Ordinary Matter depends on the temperature and pressure. If you plot a graph of pressure increase on the y-axis and temperature increases on the x-axis water will appear on the graph as 3 separate areas for ice, liquid, and vapor. The single point common where all three areas touch is called the “ Critical Point” where all three states can exist together at the same time.
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- There is a 4th phase of matter that makes up 84% of all the Ordinary Matter in the Universe. This is Plasma. It is the ionized state of matter when free electrons and free positive ions are of too high energy to combine into neutral atoms. Our Sun and all the stars are composed of Plasma.
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- Solids come in 2 states: Crystalline and Amorphous. Solids have a fixed size and shape. In the crystalline state the molecules are in a stable, regular, rigid lattice structure. In the amorphous state molecules are as in a liquid state although they maintain their position in a solid.
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- Liquids have a fixed volume and a variable shape. The molecules are mobile while still being bound together.
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- Solids can be conductors , insulators , or superconductors depending on the state of their electrons. In metals ( conductors ) electrons exist at particular energy levels. When a voltage is applied electrons move above the Fermi Energy Level and some of the electrons are freed to conduct electricity.
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- In an insulator all the electron vacancies are full and no electrons are free to move when a voltage potential is applied.
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- In a superconductor the electrons are paired, called Cooper Pairs. Like conductors the electron pairs move freely as if they were a gas. The electron pairs behave as a single particle The pairs all have the same energy level lifting the restrictions holding them in place and letting them flow freely without electrical resistance.
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- Next, there is the newly discovered state of matter called a “ Spin-Density Wave.” In this structure half of the electrons are spin-up and half are spin-down in alternating rows of the lattice structure. “All” of the electrons are “ entangled” and behave as a single unit, not as individual electrons, not as pairs, but, as a mass of trillions of particles bound together.
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- Superconductors were first discovered working at nearly Absolute Zero temperatures , (- 273 degrees C). However some super conductors have been made to work at -138C.
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- Electrons are “ Fermions” which mean they obey the Pauli Exclusion Principle “ no two electrons can occupy the same single-electron state. If one is spin up the other must be spin down. The lowest energy level that only allows 2 electrons to be in orbit about the nucleus. Electrons are always seeking the lowest energy state they can reach that is not occupied by another electron. Each state can be thought of as a sinusoidal wave with certain wavelength that is related to its energy level, E = h*c/w . “h” is Planck’s Constant of Action, “c” is the speed of light, “w” is the wavelength. When all the energy levels are full for a particular atom the threshold energy level is known as the Fermi Energy lever.
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- When a voltage potential is added to a “conductor” enough energy is transferred to an unoccupied stat to exceed the Fermi level. In an “insulator” all the energy states are occupied and an applied voltage has no affect.
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- In a “superconductor” the pairs of electrons behave as a “Boson“, not a “Fermion“. electron pairs all condense into the same state because the Pauli Exclusion Principle does not apply to Bosons. At the minimum amount of energy this state is known as the Bose-Einstein Condensation. An applied voltage pushes pairs into a higher-energy state leaving nothing to impede the flow of electricity of paired electrons. The electric current flows with zero resistance.
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- The electron pairing is due to a “ phonon” exchange. Atoms do not vibrate independently due to oscillations transmitted through the solid at extremely high frequencies, typically 10^12 oscillations per second. The energy transmitted by the waves is quantized. Each quantum is called a “phonon” having the energy value E = h* f = h* c / w
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- Most superconductors operate at -273C, Absolute Zero temperature. However, some like barium iron arsenide with a small amount of phosphorous form a molecule in a state know as spin-density waves. On ½ of the iron sites the electron spin is up. On the other ½ the electron spin is down. At 30% concentration of phosphorous the molecules reach a quantum critical state that becomes what is called , “Strange Matter” It is a state of “entanglement” between electrons. If one is up the other is down and vice versa. How the information is transmitted instantaneously between electrons so each knows the others state is a mystery. It does not seem to matter how far the electrons are separated. They could be on opposite sides of the Earth. Or, either ends of the Galaxy. Einstein called this “ Spooky Action at a Distance”
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- Strange Matter is usually a liquid of quark matter in contrast to normal liquids that are protons and neutrons. Strange Matter is thought to exist in the core of Neutron Stars under conditions of extremely high temperatures and pressures. Neutron Stars are formed when a massive supernova core collapses the iron electrons into the nucleus to from neutrons. Strange Matter is formed when the neutrons break down and the neutrons collapse into Quarks. If the Quarks break down you have a Blackhole.
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- At the Quantum Critical Point all 10^23 electrons can act as a singe particle, all interconnected. One theory is that the interconnections exist at higher dimension beyond the 4 dimensions in our Natural World. This is mathematically investigated using “String Theory”.
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- There is also a liquid state called a “Superfluid” made up of electrically neutral atoms. The liquid can flow without any friction. Placed in a glass jar the liquid can climb up the sides and across the table being totally mobile without resistance. It will spread until it is one atom thick.
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- Explaining what is really going on in these newly discovered states of matter is just beginning. Some scientists are applying string theory to get a better understanding. Some are applying Blackhole theories to begin understanding it. An announcement will be made shortly , stay tuned.
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(1) See #963 Superconducting and MRIs
(2) #1538 Superconductors
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RSVP, please reply with a number to rate this review: #1- learned something new. #2 - Didn’t read it. #3- very interesting. #4- Send another review #___ from the index. #5- Keep em coming. #6- I forwarded copies to some friends. #7- Don‘t send me these anymore! #8- I am forwarding you some questions? Index is available with email and with requested reviews at http://jdetrick.blogspot.com/ Please send feedback, corrections, or recommended improvements to: jamesdetrick@comcast.net. ---- “Jim Detrick” -- www.facebook.com, -- www.twitter.com, -- 707-536-3272 Thursday, December 27, 2012
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