How can something like superfluidity exist between atoms

[Gavroy]

hi,
I asked myself:

how can something like superfluidity exist between atoms, when there should always be van der waals forces and therefore an interatomic interaction?

so imho there should always be this kind of friction between the atoms. where am I wrong?

 

[Drakkith]

hi,
I asked myself:

how can something like superfluidity exist between atoms, when there should always be van der waals forces and therefore an interatomic interaction?

so imho there should always be this kind of friction between the atoms. where am I wrong?

The interation between atoms is the exact reason that superfluidity exists. The fluid lacks viscosity, but it still has friction. One atom in the fluid cannot just travel all the way from one side to the other without hitting other atoms. Its just that when something puts a force on an atom, the force is immediately transferred through the rest of the liquid.