Superfluidity and superconductivity are striking examples of how quantum mechanics can affect the collective behaviour of large numbers of identical particles. When the temperature of a many-particle fluid is lowered below a critical threshold, thermal fluctuations are no longer able to prevent it from collapsing into a purely quantum state. If the particles are electrically neutral, like helium–3 and helium–4 atoms, such a 'coherent' state can flow without friction and is known as a superfluid. If, on the other hand, the particles are charged, the coherent state loses its resistance to electrical current and becomes a superconductor.
Back to square one for superfluidity / Scandolo, Sandro; Santoro, Giuseppe E.. - In: PHYSICS WORLD. - ISSN 0953-8585. - 17:12(2004), pp. 3-3. [10.1088/2058-7058/17/12/26]
Back to square one for superfluidity
Santoro, Giuseppe E.
2004-01-01
Abstract
Superfluidity and superconductivity are striking examples of how quantum mechanics can affect the collective behaviour of large numbers of identical particles. When the temperature of a many-particle fluid is lowered below a critical threshold, thermal fluctuations are no longer able to prevent it from collapsing into a purely quantum state. If the particles are electrically neutral, like helium–3 and helium–4 atoms, such a 'coherent' state can flow without friction and is known as a superfluid. If, on the other hand, the particles are charged, the coherent state loses its resistance to electrical current and becomes a superconductor.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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