What is the smallest portion of energy?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter jirakst
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Energy
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of the smallest portion of energy known in physics, exploring whether this energy could be found in phenomena such as the cosmic microwave background or neutrinos. Participants inquire about the lowest energy levels detected and the implications of defining energy in various contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asks about the smallest known portion of energy and its potential sources, such as the microwave background or neutrinos.
  • Another participant asserts that the smallest portion of energy is 0, but questions whether 0 can be considered a form of energy.
  • A different participant challenges the notion of 0 energy by asking for the second smallest energy known.
  • There is a discussion about the arbitrary nature of energy measurements, suggesting that energy can be made as small as desired depending on the frame of reference.
  • One participant references the equation E=hf, indicating that energy can approach zero as frequency approaches infinity, while inquiring about the lowest energy particle that has been measured.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the concept of the smallest portion of energy, with no consensus reached on what constitutes the lowest energy or how it should be defined.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the dependence of energy measurements on the frame of reference and the ambiguity surrounding the definition of the smallest energy, indicating that assumptions may vary.

jirakst
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
What is the smallest portion of energy known so far? Could it be found within microwave background or amoung neutrinos?
Thanks!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
0. And that's pretty exact.

Cheers,
Jazz
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: bhobba
That's surely is, but is 0 SOME energy? In avoidance of math-phys-philo discusse on this mater, what has the second smallest energy already to known?
 
It's the same as the second smallest difference between two real numbers.
 
Ok. What posses the lowest energy already detected?
 
It's arbitrary, since in some frame it can be made as small as you want.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: bhobba
Yes, as E=hf where f can -> 1/inf, it might be. But what particle has been yet measured with the lowest known energy and what "particle" is suppossed to be?
 

Similar threads

High School What does the unit "Js" of the Planck constant mean?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
5K
Undergrad Phenomena: Recent + Documented
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
Undergrad What does it really mean that photons are quanta of light?
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
3K
High School What happens to excess energy when an electron gets excited by light?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Graduate Effect of Spin on Vacuum Energy
  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
3K
Undergrad What is the Definition of Quantum Physics?
  • · Replies 41 ·
2
Replies
41
Views
6K
Undergrad Electromagnetic radiation, photons, quantized energy levels
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Graduate Smallest Unit of Energy: Number & Meaning
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Sukunaarchaeum Mirabile - smallest archaeal genome
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
High School What particle represents the mass-energy conversion in a proton?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K