Negative Temperature Achieved

In summary, scientists have achieved a "negative temperature" system, which is said to have a temperature below absolute zero. This raises debates about the concept of temperature and its practical applications. It is possible that this could be used to heat up objects that are already intensely hot, but not to cool down something at absolute zero. It may have potential uses in cooling electronic or laser components and heating D-T fuel pellets for fusion, but its practical applications are still unclear.
  • #1
sanman
745
24
"Negative Temperature" Achieved

I was reading this article which says that scientists have recently achieved a "negative temperature" system, which apparently has a temperature which is "below absolute zero":

http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/01/scientists-create-negative-temperature-system/

So this seems to get into some legalistic debates on what temperature actually is, and how "negative absolute temperature" is actually hotter than infinitely high temperature, etc. I'm still parsing through it, trying to understand.

What are the practical applications of this, if any?
Could it be possible to use this "negative temperature" to heat up things which are already intensely hot?
Could it be possible to use this to cold down something which is already at absolute zero?

Could we use this to cool electronic or laser components more efficiently?
Could we use this to heat up D-T fuel pellets for fusion?
Could we use it for anything practical?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2


sanman said:
Could it be possible to use this "negative temperature" to heat up things which are already intensely hot?

Maybe. I think it depends on how hot the object already is that you want to heat up further.

Could it be possible to use this to cold down something which is already at absolute zero?

I don't think so. First, you can't reach absolute zero. And second, as article states a negative temperature system is already near maximum energy. It can't really absorb more. You would end up heating the material you wanted to cool.

Could we use this to heat up D-T fuel pellets for fusion?

You could heat the pellets up, but D-T fusion pellets require an enormous burst of heating to cause them to implode. I don't see any way to make this work using a physical material to provide the heating. Lasers are used because they can deliver the energy quick enough and evenly enough for the implosion to work correctly.

Could we use it for anything practical?

No idea.
 
  • #3


There is already a thread on this: [thread]662268[/thread]
 
Last edited by a moderator:

1. What is negative temperature achieved?

Negative temperature achieved is a state in which the temperature of a system is expressed as a negative value on the Kelvin scale. This means that the system has a higher energy state than any system at positive temperatures, making it the hottest possible temperature.

2. How is negative temperature achieved?

Negative temperature can be achieved by manipulating the energy levels of a system through a process called population inversion. This involves pumping energy into the system to create a state where the higher energy levels are more populated than the lower energy levels, resulting in a negative temperature.

3. What are some examples of negative temperature?

Some examples of negative temperature include laser-cooled atoms, certain types of nuclear spins, and Bose-Einstein condensates. These systems have been experimentally proven to have negative temperatures and exhibit unique properties such as negative pressure and increased entropy with decreasing energy.

4. What are the implications of negative temperature?

Negative temperature has important implications in the fields of physics and thermodynamics. It challenges our understanding of temperature and entropy, and has potential applications in quantum computing, precision measurement, and the study of exotic states of matter.

5. Can negative temperature be achieved in everyday objects?

No, negative temperature cannot be achieved in everyday objects as it requires specific conditions and manipulation of energy levels. However, the effects of negative temperature can be observed in certain materials and systems, such as superfluids and superconductors, which exhibit properties that are not possible at positive temperatures.

Similar threads

Replies
1
Views
415
Replies
4
Views
1K
Replies
9
Views
614
Replies
7
Views
783
Replies
3
Views
839
Replies
14
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
548
  • Thermodynamics
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
14
Views
1K
  • Atomic and Condensed Matter
Replies
1
Views
1K
Back
Top