Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Why You Can’t Reach Absolute Zero

StarTalk・2 minutes read

Absolute zero is 0 Kelvin, reached by removing all heat. Cold is defined as the absence of heat, and as heat is continuously added, temperature increases.

Insights

  • Absolute zero, at 0 Kelvin or -273 degrees Celsius, represents the absence of thermal energy and the point where particles have minimal kinetic energy.
  • The creation of unique states of matter like Bose-Einstein condensate and phenomena like superfluidity and superconductivity occur at extremely low temperatures, showcasing distinct behaviors of matter that are not observed under normal conditions.

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Recent questions

  • What is the relationship between heat and temperature?

    Heat can be continuously added to increase temperature without limit. When heat is removed, temperature decreases.

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Summary

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"Temperature, Heat, and Absolute Zero Explained"

  • Heat can be continuously added to increase temperature without limit.
  • Cold is defined as the absence of heat, leading to a decrease in temperature when heat is removed.
  • Lord Kelvin created the Kelvin scale, where absolute zero is at 0 Kelvin.
  • The Celsius scale places freezing water at 0 degrees and boiling water at 100 degrees.
  • Absolute zero is -273 degrees Celsius, which is 0 Kelvin.
  • Thermal energy is the total energy of particles, while temperature is the average kinetic energy.
  • To make something colder, heat energy needs to be extracted by something colder.
  • Expanding a gas can cool it down, but reaching absolute zero is theoretically impossible due to quantum physics.
  • Bose-Einstein condensate is a state of matter where particles' waves match up at very low temperatures.
  • Superfluidity and superconductivity are phenomena observed at extremely cold temperatures, showcasing unique behaviors of matter.
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