Quantum Levitation: The Coolest Science You'll See Today

MegaManOfNumbers

New member
Mar 3, 2010
1,326
0
0
So wait, your telling me that if we can find a proper application for this technology we can create infinite amounts of energy without friction issues and heavy labor?!
 

thelonewolf266

New member
Nov 18, 2010
708
0
0
CardinalPiggles said:
My mind = Blown.

Also, does this mean Hover cars are indeed possible???

thelonewolf266 said:
As Jack O'Neill would say "Magnets!".
God damn it, I want to watch that now.
I would say as a fellow Stargate fan you should join the Escapist Stargate Fan club but its been pretty dead since Universe was cancelled.
Goddamn you MGM and in extension cruel world.
 

Agayek

Ravenous Gormandizer
Oct 23, 2008
5,178
0
0
Shadowfacet said:
What I want to know is why this is a big deal to everybody? This technology has bee around for decades and it's one of the most basic demonstrations that you see in high school physics.
The thing with that is that it's completely wrong. This has never been done in any high school worth the name. No one would let a vat of liquid nitrogen loose near a group of teenagers, it's a recipe for disaster.

Also, this uses fundamentally different principles than magnetic repulsion, which is what you are referring to. Magnetic repulsion relies on the property of magnets that two magnets of the same polarity will repel each other with a certain amount of force. If one of the magnets weighs less than the other, they will repel each other and the one higher up will float in the air.

This experiment uses a property of superconductors that has absolutely nothing to do with magnetic repulsion. Without a charge running through them, superconductors aren't even magnetic. In layman's terms, superconductors don't like to move through magnetic fields. If you try to push one through a magnetic field, they push back to try and not move. It's really complicated, but the gist of it is that moving around a magnet makes it try to move in the opposite direction.

If the magnetic field is strong enough and/or the push is weak enough, then the superconductor is able to create enough counter force to stop its motion. That's how it is suspended in the air. Gravity is not able to exert enough force to override the counter force.

It moves around circular magnets because of the shape of magnetic fields. The layman's version of that is that because the magnet is a ring, it's moving along the magnetic field instead of through it.
 

Shadowfacet

New member
May 27, 2011
24
0
0
Agayek said:
Shadowfacet said:
What I want to know is why this is a big deal to everybody? This technology has bee around for decades and it's one of the most basic demonstrations that you see in high school physics.
The thing with that is that it's completely wrong. This has never been done in any high school worth the name. No one would let a vat of liquid nitrogen loose near a group of teenagers, it's a recipe for disaster.

Also, this uses fundamentally different principles than magnetic repulsion, which is what you are referring to. Magnetic repulsion relies on the property of magnets that two magnets of the same polarity will repel each other with a certain amount of force. If one of the magnets weighs less than the other, they will repel each other and the one higher up will float in the air.

This experiment uses a property of superconductors that has absolutely nothing to do with magnetic repulsion. Without a charge running through them, superconductors aren't even magnetic. In layman's terms, superconductors don't like to move through magnetic fields. If you try to push one through a magnetic field, they push back to try and not move. It's really complicated, but the gist of it is that moving around a magnet makes it try to move in the opposite direction.

If the magnetic field is strong enough and/or the push is weak enough, then the superconductor is able to create enough counter force to stop its motion. That's how it is suspended in the air. Gravity is not able to exert enough force to override the counter force.

It moves around circular magnets because of the shape of magnetic fields. The layman's version of that is that because the magnet is a ring, it's moving along the magnetic field instead of through it.
PLEASE Don't presume to think I am wrong. I am NOT talking merely about magnetic repulsion. And having just finished high school here in australia and from my own experience I can tell you that yes. We did do this experiment. Yes they did trust us to be responsible enough with liquid nitrogen. And it is most definitely what we did.
I can tell you all about the quantum theories for superconductivity and how when cooled below the critical temperature cooper pairs form between electrons travelling in the crystal lattice and because of the increased forces distort the mentioned lattice allowing them to movie with minimal resistance.

And please don't lecture me in laymans terms. If you want to tell me do it properly. Not that you need to. The reason they levitate is due to the Meisner effect which basically says that because the electrons can move in the lattice without resistance, and the fact that when a conductor moves in an external field a loop of current known as an eddy current will be generated in this to resist the direction of movement, As their is no resistance this eddy current creates a field to directly oppose the external field.

Please next time check before assuming that I'm talking out my arse.
 

unacomn

New member
Mar 3, 2008
974
0
0
No one made this reference yet?

http://youtu.be/X9hatLT-vl4?t=4m3s

This is merely super-conductive electromagnetism, surely you've heard of it. It levitates bullet trains from Tokyo to Osaka. It levitates my desk, where I ride the saddle of the world. And it levitates... me!
 

BlackWidower

New member
Nov 16, 2009
783
0
0
Saw this earlier today, and I love it! If we ever find a room temperature superconductor, we can use this technique to develop quantum rail, or something else. But I really like that name.

We just need to find out how to get it to hold more weight, because if he can move it with his hand, it's not very strong, let's face it.
 

BlackWidower

New member
Nov 16, 2009
783
0
0
Shadowfacet said:
Agayek said:
Shadowfacet said:
What I want to know is why this is a big deal to everybody? This technology has bee around for decades and it's one of the most basic demonstrations that you see in high school physics.
The thing with that is that it's completely wrong. This has never been done in any high school worth the name. No one would let a vat of liquid nitrogen loose near a group of teenagers, it's a recipe for disaster.

Also, this uses fundamentally different principles than magnetic repulsion, which is what you are referring to. Magnetic repulsion relies on the property of magnets that two magnets of the same polarity will repel each other with a certain amount of force. If one of the magnets weighs less than the other, they will repel each other and the one higher up will float in the air.

This experiment uses a property of superconductors that has absolutely nothing to do with magnetic repulsion. Without a charge running through them, superconductors aren't even magnetic. In layman's terms, superconductors don't like to move through magnetic fields. If you try to push one through a magnetic field, they push back to try and not move. It's really complicated, but the gist of it is that moving around a magnet makes it try to move in the opposite direction.

If the magnetic field is strong enough and/or the push is weak enough, then the superconductor is able to create enough counter force to stop its motion. That's how it is suspended in the air. Gravity is not able to exert enough force to override the counter force.

It moves around circular magnets because of the shape of magnetic fields. The layman's version of that is that because the magnet is a ring, it's moving along the magnetic field instead of through it.
PLEASE Don't presume to think I am wrong. I am NOT talking merely about magnetic repulsion. And having just finished high school here in australia and from my own experience I can tell you that yes. We did do this experiment. Yes they did trust us to be responsible enough with liquid nitrogen. And it is most definitely what we did.
I can tell you all about the quantum theories for superconductivity and how when cooled below the critical temperature cooper pairs form between electrons travelling in the crystal lattice and because of the increased forces distort the mentioned lattice allowing them to movie with minimal resistance.

And please don't lecture me in laymans terms. If you want to tell me do it properly. Not that you need to. The reason they levitate is due to the Meisner effect which basically says that because the electrons can move in the lattice without resistance, and the fact that when a conductor moves in an external field a loop of current known as an eddy current will be generated in this to resist the direction of movement, As their is no resistance this eddy current creates a field to directly oppose the external field.

Please next time check before assuming that I'm talking out my arse.
Wow, Australia must have damn good high schools. We've never touched anything like this. But according to this site, it's not the Meisner effect.

http://io9.com/5850729/quantum-locking-will-blow-your-mind--but-how-does-it-work

It's similar, but not the same. The magnetic field doesn't go around the superconductor, it goes through it. So it's like a nail, holding it in place. There's no resistance, it's just held in place like...like a nail.
 

SL33TBL1ND

Elite Member
Nov 9, 2008
6,467
0
41
Twilight_guy said:
My question: If the thing is negative 185 Celsius how does he avoid burning his fingers when he touches it?
Magnets!

But seriously, folks, this shit is amazing.
 

honestdiscussioner

New member
Jul 17, 2010
704
0
0
Would this work on thing other than liquid nitrogen? That's not exactly the simplest thing to get a hold of, so why did they use it? I'm only saying this because, if you could do this on a person, there are many applications, such as beds, or even prisons for overly dangerous felons.
 

Pat8u

New member
Apr 7, 2011
767
0
0
dragongit said:
... Fucking magnets. How do they work!?
well Magnets have things called magnectic fields... Oh its a meme *sigh*

OT:Can't watch the video cause I am Capped(internet is maxed)
 

bakan

New member
Jun 17, 2011
472
0
0
Shadowfacet said:
Agayek said:
PLEASE Don't presume to think I am wrong. I am NOT talking merely about magnetic repulsion. And having just finished high school here in australia and from my own experience I can tell you that yes. We did do this experiment. Yes they did trust us to be responsible enough with liquid nitrogen. And it is most definitely what we did.
I can tell you all about the quantum theories for superconductivity and how when cooled below the critical temperature cooper pairs form between electrons travelling in the crystal lattice and because of the increased forces distort the mentioned lattice allowing them to movie with minimal resistance.

And please don't lecture me in laymans terms. If you want to tell me do it properly. Not that you need to. The reason they levitate is due to the Meisner effect which basically says that because the electrons can move in the lattice without resistance, and the fact that when a conductor moves in an external field a loop of current known as an eddy current will be generated in this to resist the direction of movement, As their is no resistance this eddy current creates a field to directly oppose the external field.

Please next time check before assuming that I'm talking out my arse.
When did High Schools start to teach quantum physics?
If you do bachelor and master courses about it, you are busy for 2+ semesters and that's when you actually make it on your first try...
Btw in this case it isn't the Meissner effect, it is a form of quantum trapping as it isn't the magnet levitating but the superconductor itself and it is locked in place.
 

Lukeje

New member
Feb 6, 2008
4,048
0
0
Giest4life said:
Is it possible this is the first visible demonstration of quantum physics? I mean, after all, quantum physics is a tad too small for the human eye.
No. Quantum mechanics was devised after a large number of macroscopic measurements failed to correspond with classical theories. It has since been verified in numerous other macroscopic measurements.
honestdiscussioner said:
Would this work on thing other than liquid nitrogen? That's not exactly the simplest thing to get a hold of, so why did they use it? I'm only saying this because, if you could do this on a person, there are many applications, such as beds, or even prisons for overly dangerous felons.
LN2 is actually relatively easy to get hold of. And I'm pretty sure the human body is not a superconductor (especially not at temperatures higher than LN2 temperature).

Anyway; isn't this just the Meissner effect? It's been known for rather a while now...
 

honestdiscussioner

New member
Jul 17, 2010
704
0
0
Lukeje said:
honestdiscussioner said:
Would this work on thing other than liquid nitrogen? That's not exactly the simplest thing to get a hold of, so why did they use it? I'm only saying this because, if you could do this on a person, there are many applications, such as beds, or even prisons for overly dangerous felons.
LN2 is actually relatively easy to get hold of. And I'm pretty sure the human body is not a superconductor (especially not at temperatures higher than LN2 temperature).

Anyway; isn't this just the Meissner effect? It's been known for rather a while now...
I know it isn't "difficult", but you do have to go out of your way. It's not like people use liquid nitrogen for demonstrations unless the properties of the liquid nitrogen are required, so that means it was likely a necessity that they use it here.

I understand that the effect has been known for a while, but I don't think it's a common thing to see. Levitating something is one thing, but being able to manually manipulate it and have it keep its position, even on an angle, is another. If we could do this with more mundane objects (wood, plastic, etc) it would be a revolution. We could use it in everything from art, to building, to law enforcement, and a plethora of other fields.
 

Shadowfacet

New member
May 27, 2011
24
0
0
bakan said:
Shadowfacet said:
Agayek said:
PLEASE Don't presume to think I am wrong. I am NOT talking merely about magnetic repulsion. And having just finished high school here in australia and from my own experience I can tell you that yes. We did do this experiment. Yes they did trust us to be responsible enough with liquid nitrogen. And it is most definitely what we did.
I can tell you all about the quantum theories for superconductivity and how when cooled below the critical temperature cooper pairs form between electrons travelling in the crystal lattice and because of the increased forces distort the mentioned lattice allowing them to movie with minimal resistance.

And please don't lecture me in laymans terms. If you want to tell me do it properly. Not that you need to. The reason they levitate is due to the Meisner effect which basically says that because the electrons can move in the lattice without resistance, and the fact that when a conductor moves in an external field a loop of current known as an eddy current will be generated in this to resist the direction of movement, As their is no resistance this eddy current creates a field to directly oppose the external field.

Please next time check before assuming that I'm talking out my arse.
When did High Schools start to teach quantum physics?
If you do bachelor and master courses about it, you are busy for 2+ semesters and that's when you actually make it on your first try...
Btw in this case it isn't the Meissner effect, it is a form of quantum trapping as it isn't the magnet levitating but the superconductor itself.
Yeah in year 11 and 12 we cover basic quantum physics. On top of this we also learn about the history and construction of the standard model of particle physics. I must say for all the high prices of everything here I am glad I live in australia.
BlackWidower said:
Wow, Australia must have damn good high schools. We've never touched anything like this. But according to this site, it's not the Meisner effect.

http://io9.com/5850729/quantum-locking-will-blow-your-mind--but-how-does-it-work

It's similar, but not the same. The magnetic field doesn't go around the superconductor, it goes through it. So it's like a nail, holding it in place. There's no resistance, it's just held in place like...like a nail.
And yeah, looks as though whilst it's not the Meisner effect it still relies upon many of the principles that I mentioned. Yeah, the "flux tubes" that are mentioned are just a characteristic of type II superconductors that allow minuscule penetrations of magnetic flux through the wafer.
 

Atmos Duality

New member
Mar 3, 2010
8,473
0
0
So they created quantum gaps in the magnetic field so the superconductor wouldn't fuck up?
Very cool.
I wonder what scale this sort of system would be effective up to..
 

Scrustle

New member
Apr 30, 2011
2,031
0
0
I didn't understand any of that... but that's amazing! I had no idea we were even anywhere close to making stuff like that! My jaw was dropped all the way through the video. This technology needs to be developed as soon as possible!

There's always stuff like this on The Escapist which I find totally baffling as to why it's not on mainstream news! All of these cool science-y things they report about could all potentially change the world in huge ways! But this is the only place I hear about them! This stuff is more important than 95% of the "news" you hear from mainstream outlets! It's criminal that these amazing advances go ignored by the larger population.
 

GonzoGamer

New member
Apr 9, 2008
7,063
0
0
Thank you for blowing my fucking mind Escapist.
Now who's going to help me put this back together?