Preamble:
Absolute zero is an unimaginable temperature that is well below the range of temperatures we are exposed to in our daily lives. At this temperature, strange physical phenomena and laws will emerge, and even have a subversive impact on our perception of the world. So, what exactly is absolute zero, and what is the mystery of it? Let's unravel the mystery of absolute zero.
1. What is absolute zero?
The so-called absolute zero refers to the temperature at zero Kelvin, which is usually represented by the symbol "0K", which is minus 273.15 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the molecules and atoms of all matter will no longer have any motion, that is, they will stop oscillating and freeze in them, thus losing energy. It is because of this special state that absolute zero is also regarded as the lowest limit of temperature and the reference point of the zeroth law of thermodynamics. At absolute zero, the temperature is already so low that it can no longer be reduced, so there can be no lower temperature than this. It can be said that absolute zero is an out-and-out theoretical state, and although we cannot cool objects to absolute zero, it provides a lot of inspiration for our scientific research to some extent.
2. The peculiar phenomenon of absolute zero
1. Light will freeze
Light can propagate in air or other media under the temperature conditions we usually know, and the speed of light in a vacuum can reach 299792458m/s. However, when the temperature drops below absolute zero, the speed of light propagation will be affected, and it can even be considered "frozen". This is because at absolute zero, matter has stopped all movement, and the propagation of light needs to be carried out by the vibration of matter, and in this case, matter no longer has any vibration, so naturally it cannot propagate light. Therefore, at absolute zero, light also loses its ability to propagate and becomes a state that can be frozen.
2. Time loses its meaning
In addition to the fact that light will freeze, time will lose its meaning at absolute zero. We all know that time is created by the movement of matter, and at absolute zero, all matter has stopped moving, so time can no longer flow. It can be said that absolute zero is an eternal world, because nothing can continue to change here, and everything will remain in its original state forever.
3. Life cannot exist
Absolute zero is an extreme temperature that is well below the range of temperatures that living organisms can tolerate, so life cannot continue to exist at such temperatures. Taking the organisms on the earth as an example, the minimum temperature at which the human body can survive is 14.2 degrees Celsius, and plants that carry out photosynthesis need certain temperature conditions to survive, so when the temperature drops below absolute zero, the organisms on the earth will usher in a catastrophe, and the whole world will become a dead place.
3. The research significance of absolute zero
Although absolute zero cannot be achieved in the real physical world, many interesting phenomena and laws have been discovered through continuous research on it. For example, at temperatures cooled to near absolute zero, some substances exhibit Bose-Einstein condensation, which is a collective behavior when atoms are cooled to extremely low temperatures. In this phenomenon, atoms are no longer separated as usual, but will form a special state, and then show many strange physical properties, such as superfluids and superconductors, which provides a new way for people to study the microstructure and properties of matter.
Absolute zero also provides a theoretical limit for people to compare it to absolute zero when one wants to understand what happens to matter under extreme temperature conditions, revealing many secrets hidden inside matter. It can be said that it is precisely with the theoretical limit of absolute zero that people have been able to study physics more deeply, and it is possible to create some substances and phenomena that would otherwise be impossible, such as Bose-Einstein condensation and bosons.
Epilogue:
Absolute zero is a mysterious and distant existence, which exists in the world of theories, and at the same time provides a lot of enlightenment for people's scientific research. Under such temperature conditions, light can be frozen, time can lose its meaning, and life cannot exist, and these strange phenomena and laws will undoubtedly have a subversive impact on our perception of the world. Perhaps, in the near future, humanity will be able to somehow push the limits of existing technology and bring absolute zero into the actual physical world, when we will be able to witness many wonderful physical phenomena and start a journey of deeper exploration of the world.