Re: Zero Point Energy

Daibhid Ceanaideach <daibhidchenedelh@xxxxxxx> wrote in
news:Xns97D3E8221A5DEdaibhid@xxxxxxxxxxx:

The time: 30 May 2006. The place:
rec.arts.comics.marvel.universe. The speaker: "sgtbilko"
<rf001b1265@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Does this exist or does it belong in the realms of Sci-fi
like the Zero Point Module from Stargate?

That depends on your definition of "exists" 8-). Zero-point
energy is a real thing, but has little in common with the
version seen in sf scenarios.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-point_energy

It's controversial, and some physicists say yes, while others say no.
Absolute zero is still out of reach of both modern theory and
experiment, and IMO, will be forever. I have no opinion, since I say
you can't even get there to find out.

By definition, zero temperature is impossible to reach, and you can only
approach it assymptotically. Recent production of a Bose-Einstein
condensate brings us one step closer, but even that has non-zero T, as
will the next step, and the next, and the next.

Present experiments are in the milli-kelvin range, but to get to perfect
zero, physicists need to go through micro-kelvin, nano-kelvin, pico-,
femto-, atto-, etc, etc, etc. That progression does not end, but our
ability to harness the energy required to produce such states does.

I say it's a chimera.
.

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