All articles tagged with #atoms
MIT researchers developed a novel molecule-based technique using radium monofluoride to probe the interior of atoms, allowing electrons to briefly enter the nucleus and reveal its internal structure, which could shed light on fundamental questions about matter and antimatter asymmetry in the universe.
MIT physicists developed a tabletop technique using molecules to study the interior of an atom's nucleus by tracking electron energy shifts, providing a new way to probe nuclear structure and fundamental symmetries, especially in radium, which could shed light on matter-antimatter imbalance in the universe.
Atoms formed primarily from hydrogen and helium shortly after the Big Bang as the universe cooled, with heavier atoms created later in stars through fusion and in supernova explosions, while dark matter remains a mystery.
The article discusses how the meaning of the word 'atom' has evolved from its original Greek definition of 'indivisible' to our current understanding of atoms as composed of smaller particles like protons, neutrons, and electrons, highlighting the progression of scientific discovery and the importance of naming conventions in science.
Researchers at Purdue University have successfully modeled the complex quantum phenomenon known as the Efimov effect in five atoms, advancing our understanding of quantum interactions and potentially improving methods for confining atoms in experiments, a breakthrough made possible by advances in computational power and mathematical techniques.
Despite atoms being mostly empty space, we can't walk through walls due to electromagnetic repulsion and the Pauli exclusion principle, which prevent atoms from overlapping, making solid objects feel solid. Quantum tunneling allows for an infinitesimal chance of passing through barriers, but it's practically impossible for macroscopic objects.
The article explains the formation of atoms from the Big Bang to stellar processes, highlighting how hydrogen and helium formed early in the universe and how heavier elements are created in stars and supernovae, with some mysteries remaining about dark matter.
Atoms, primarily hydrogen and helium, formed shortly after the Big Bang as the universe cooled, with heavier atoms created later in stars through fusion and in supernova explosions, which distribute these elements across the universe.
Atoms, the building blocks of everything around us, formed mainly from hydrogen and helium shortly after the Big Bang, with heavier atoms created later in stars through nuclear fusion and supernova explosions. Most of the universe's matter is hydrogen and helium, while heavier elements like carbon and oxygen are produced in stellar processes.
Physicists have found potential evidence for a fifth fundamental force inside atoms, based on deviations in atomic transition measurements in calcium isotopes, which could suggest the existence of a new force mediated by a Yukawa particle, although further research is needed to confirm this discovery.
The solidity of matter, despite atoms being mostly empty space, is explained by quantum mechanics, particularly the Pauli Exclusion Principle. This principle states that no two fermions, such as electrons, can occupy the same quantum state simultaneously, preventing atoms from passing through each other and giving rise to the impenetrability of solid objects. This quantum mechanical rule, combined with quantum uncertainty and electrostatic repulsion, ensures that matter remains stable and occupies space, making everyday experiences like sitting in a chair possible.
Researchers are exploring the potential of neutral-atom qubits for quantum computing, with recent advancements showing promise in terms of scalability and coherence times. Unlike ions, neutral atoms do not repel each other, making them more scalable and easier to entangle in a two-dimensional grid. Additionally, by boosting the size of atoms into Rydberg states, the interaction distance between atoms can be dramatically increased, potentially enabling significant progress in quantum computing.
A new method developed by the University of Bonn and University of Bristol allows for the precise measurement of all three spatial coordinates of individual atoms with one single image, using an effect known in theory since the 1990s. This method, based on quantum gas microscopy, deforms the wavefront of light emitted by the atom, producing a dumbbell shape on the camera that rotates around itself, allowing researchers to determine the z coordinate. This breakthrough is important for quantum mechanics experiments and could aid in the development of new quantum materials with special characteristics.
Researchers from TU Wien have theoretically demonstrated that using a special lens, a single photon emitted by one atom can be reabsorbed by a second atom and returned back to the first atom with high precision, resembling a game of ping-pong. By utilizing the concept of the Maxwell fish-eye lens, the team showed that the coupling between the atom and different oscillating modes can ensure the transfer of the photon between atoms. This breakthrough could pave the way for quantum control systems to study effects at extremely strong light-matter interaction.
The formation of the first atoms in the universe was a gradual process that took hundreds of thousands of years after the Big Bang. Initially, there were no stable atoms due to the high energy levels and abundance of photons. However, as the universe expanded and cooled, the number of high-energy photons decreased, allowing neutral atoms to form. The dominant process for neutralization was a rare two-photon transition, where an electron drops to a lower energy state by emitting two lower-energy photons. This transition led to the formation of neutral atoms, paving the way for the cosmic structures and phenomena we observe today.