The temperature of the environment is and has been throughout history a very determining element for the survival of different living beings, and something that has marked the future of evolution and in the case of human beings, the way of understanding the world. that surrounds us.
In fact, much of known life can only live within thermal limits, and even the movement and energy of particles is altered at the molecular level. The existence of extreme temperatures has even been stipulated that can cause the movement of subatomic particles to completely cease, leaving them in a total absence of energy. This is the case of absolute zero, a concept developed by Kelvin and whose research has great scientific relevance.
But… what is absolute zero exactly? Throughout this article we are going to check it.
We call absolute zero the lowest temperature unit considered possible, -273.15ºC a situation in which the subatomic particles themselves would be without any type of energy and would not be able to carry out any type of movement.
This occurs due to the fact that reducing the temperature of an object implies subtracting energy from it, so absolute zero would imply the total absence of this.
This is a temperature that is not found in nature and which is assumed to be hypothetical for the moment (in fact, according to Nernst’s principle of unattainability, reaching this temperature is impossible), although scientific experimentation has managed to reach very similar temperatures.
However, the previous description is linked to a perception of this concept from the perspective of classical mechanics Later research that would leave aside classical mechanics to enter quantum mechanics propose that in reality at this temperature there would still be a minimum amount of energy that would keep the particles in motion, the so-called zero point energy.
Although, according to the first classical visions, in this hypothetical state, matter should appear in a solid state as there is no movement or disappear as mass is equivalent to energy and the latter is completely absent, quantum mechanics proposes that if energy exists, there could be other states of matter.
Kelvin’s investigations
The name and concept of absolute zero comes from the research and theory of William Thomson, better known as Lord Kelvin, who set out to develop this concept of the observation of the behavior of gases and how they vary their volume proportionally to the drop in temperature.
Based on this, this researcher began to calculate at what temperature the volume of a gas would be zero, reaching the conclusion that it would correspond to the previously mentioned temperature.
The author created his own temperature scale, the Kelvin scale, based on the laws of thermodynamics, placing the point of origin at this lowest possible temperature, absolute zero. Thus, a temperature of 0ºK corresponds to absolute zero, -273.15ºC. part of the creation by said author of a temperature scale generated from the laws of thermodynamics of the time (in 1836).
Is there something beyond?
Taking into account that absolute zero is a temperature at which there would be no movement of particles or only a residual energy of absolute zero would exist, one may wonder if something could exist beyond this temperature.
Even though logic may make us think no, research carried out by different researchers at the Max Planck Institute They seem to indicate that in fact an even lower temperature could exist, and that it would correspond to negative temperatures on the Kelvin scale (that is, below absolute zero). This is a phenomenon that could only occur at the quantum level.
This would occur in the case of some gases, which through the use of lasers and in experimentation were able to go from being somewhat above absolute zero to negative temperatures below zero. These temperatures would ensure that the gas in question, prepared in such a way that it should contract at high speed, remains stabilized. In this sense it is similar to dark energy, which according to some experts prevents the universe from collapsing in on itself.
What can it be used for?
Knowing the existence of absolute zero has repercussions not only on a theoretical level but also on a practical level. And when they are exposed to temperatures close to absolute zero, many materials greatly change their properties
An example of this is found in the fact that at these temperatures subatomic particles condense into a single large atom called a Bose-Einstein condensate. Likewise, some especially interesting properties due to their practical application are found in the superfluidity or superconductivity that certain elements can achieve under these thermal conditions.
