MVP ARCHIVE SCIENCE | PHYSICS : Superconductivity - Electrical resistance becomes zero
MVP ARCHIVE SCIENCE > PHYSICS > Superconductivity - Electrical resistance becomes zero
Superconductivity
Electrical resistance becomes zero.
In 1911, Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered a phenomenon in which electrical resistance suddenly disappears completely during an experiment where mercury was cooled to extremely low temperatures.
This phenomenon was named Superconductivity and became one of the representative phenomena where quantum mechanics manifests in the world of visible-sized objects.
Current is not lost
Normally, when an electric current is passed through a metal, energy is lost as heat because electrons collide with atoms. (Electrical resistance)
However, in a superconducting state, this resistance disappears completely, so once a current begins to flow, it can continue to flow without needing an external power supply.
A phenomenon created by quantum mechanics
Superconductivity is not simply a phenomenon where "resistance disappears when cooled"; rather, when the temperature drops below a certain point (critical temperature), electrons form a special state called Cooper pairs and behave as a single quantum collective.
As a result, electrons are less likely to be scattered within the crystal and can flow without resistance.
Superconductivity is a phenomenon where quantum mechanics appears in the macroscopic world.
Why magnets float
Superconducting materials have a property called the "Meissner effect," which expels magnetic fields from their interior, causing magnets to levitate above superconducting materials.
Furthermore, due to a phenomenon called magnetic flux pinning, magnets can sometimes be fixed in a stable position in mid-air.
Applications in modern society
Superconductivity supports cutting-edge science and technology.
In MRIs, superconducting magnets are used to create powerful and stable magnetic fields.
Also, in maglev trains, superconducting magnets are used to levitate and propel the vehicles.
In addition, it plays an important role in many advanced fields such as particle accelerators, nuclear fusion experimental devices, and quantum computers.
Basic Information
Discoverer: Heike Kamerlingh Onnes
Discovery: 1911
Overview:
・A phenomenon where electrical resistance becomes zero at extremely low temperatures
・A representative example of quantum mechanics appearing in the macroscopic world
・An important technology supporting modern science and engineering
Main features:
・Zero electrical resistance
・Current continues to flow for a long time
・Meissner effect
・Formation of Cooper pairs
Main applications:
・MRI
・Superconducting maglev
・Particle accelerators
・Nuclear fusion experimental devices
・NMR equipment
・Quantum computers
Related themes:
・Meissner Effect
・Cooper Pair
・High-Temperature Superconductors
・Quantum Computing
・Nuclear Fusion
Archive Point
Quantum tunneling is a representative example of quantum wave-like properties appearing in the natural world, whereas superconductivity is a phenomenon that arises when a large number of electrons behave as a single quantum state.
Superconductivity, where resistance disappears, magnets float, and powerful magnetic fields can be stably created, is a symbolic example of how quantum mechanics is connected to technologies familiar to us, and it is an important theme that serves as a bridge from modern physics to future technology.
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