# 5th state of matter

by lakshmi
Tags: matter, state
 P: 36 what is the 5th state of matter can aybody explain it
 P: 11 You must know the 3 states of matter: liquid,solid,gaz, but at hight temerature, you can also find a state called plasma(electrons are free) The fifth state of matter you're talking about might be the QGP (Quarks and GLuon PLasma). Scientists believe that QGP is a state where quarks are free (T = 170 Mev and epsilon = 3 GeV per fm^3), as during the first second of our universe. Many experiments are runing now to prove its existence in Berkeley and Geneva... I hope it's answers your question ... Regards
 Emeritus Sci Advisor PF Gold P: 16,091 He might be talking about Bose-Einstein condensate.
 P: 2,828 5th state of matter Unfortunately, it is rather difficult to guess ! google "fifth state of matter" If you please lakshmi, be more specific.
 P: 60 I did a 2nd year undergrad uni course in statistical mechanics this semester, and we touched on Bose-Einstein condensation, just by deriving certain temperatures etc. We were told that the first experimental evidence of B-E condensation was in 1995 where Rubidium atoms were cooled to something like 4x10^-3 K, by using "laser traps" How does this work?
 P: 609 Well, basicly you have lasers that hit a group of atoms from all sides and inhibit their movement, effectively dropping their temperature.
P: 13
 Quote by rayveldkamp I did a 2nd year undergrad uni course in statistical mechanics this semester, and we touched on Bose-Einstein condensation, just by deriving certain temperatures etc. We were told that the first experimental evidence of B-E condensation was in 1995 where Rubidium atoms were cooled to something like 4x10^-3 K, by using "laser traps" How does this work?
Actually, it's much colder- something like $$10^{-7} K$$ is more typical.

As for how they did it, take a look at this site. which provides an easy introduction.
HW Helper
P: 11,915
 Quote by wolverine You must know the 3 states of matter: liquid,solid,gaz, but at hight temerature, you can also find a state called plasma(electrons are free) The fifth state of matter you're talking about might be the QGP (Quarks and GLuon PLasma). Scientists believe that QGP is a state where quarks are free (T = 170 Mev and epsilon = 3 GeV per fm^3), as during the first second of our universe. Many experiments are runing now to prove its existence in Berkeley and Geneva... I hope it's answers your question ... Regards
My opinion is that QGP is not anything different than ordinary Fermions+Photons plasma.You just need higher temperatures and energies go get the former.If such a plasma is obtained,then it should be regarded as a confirmation of the Standard Model,just like more "normal" plasma is.
 P: 11 Hi I'm agree with you, dextercioby, when you sau that the discovery of QGP will confirm the power of the standart model, but I don't believe it's like a normal plasma. In QGP, quarks are free, and calculations with lattice QCD show us that there where a phase transition (sign of new state of matter) during the creation of such a plasma. See you
 P: 5 is there anything called the supercool state of matter or something..something that happens when water is 0 deg celcius in kelvin temp..?
P: 3,014
 Quote by sameerpaisari is there anything called the supercool state of matter or something..something that happens when water is 0 deg celcius in kelvin temp..?
Ohhh, you are referring to a supercooled liquid. That's still the liquid phase. The only issue is, it exists below the freezing temperature and it is unstable. A small center of crystalization (like a grain of sand or another impurity) will cause the whole water to freeze.
 P: 44 I thought that Quark-Gluon Plasma was the 7th state? Isn't the Einstein-Bose condensate the 5th? I know that water can occasionally get to be -10 degrees Celsius without freezing. cheers, BT
 P: 1 There was a nice program on Nova (pbs channel) channel on TV. that covered what you are asking about. This program discussed a substrate that is formed when elements are cooled to near zero degree K. The particles do not act as separate elements but seem to form a common matter that acts unlike the individual element. The program mentioned California Berkley as being the 1st site to produce it. They referred to it as the Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) here is a link that I found http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics...old-atoms.html I found this to be really interesting as my kids science books do not even mention this 5th matter.

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