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Magnetism's subatomic roots: Rice study of high-tech materials helps explain everyday phenomenon
Rice University ^
| Friday, September 3, 2010
| Jade Boyd
Posted on 09/04/2010 9:49:37 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
The modern world -- with its ubiquitous electronic devices and electrical power -- can trace its lineage directly to the discovery, less than two centuries ago, of the link between electricity and magnetism. But while engineers have harnessed electromagnetic forces on a global scale, physicists still struggle to describe the dance between electrons that creates magnetic fields.
Two theoretical physicists from Rice University are reporting initial success in that area in a new paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Their new conceptual model, which was created to learn more about the quantum quirks of high-temperature superconductors and other high-tech materials, has also proven useful in describing the origins of ferromagnetism -- the everyday "magnetism" of compass needles and refrigerator magnets...
Ferromagnets are what most people think of as magnets. They're the permanently magnetic materials that keep notes stuck to refrigerators the world over. Scientists have long understood the large-scale workings of ferromagnets, which can be described theoretically from a coarse-grained perspective. But at a deeper, fine-grained level -- down at the scale of atoms and electrons -- the origins of ferromagnetism remain fuzzy.
(Excerpt) Read more at media.rice.edu ...
TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: catastrophism; magnetism; nestingdolls; stringtheory; superconductivity; superconductors
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Qimiao Si
1
posted on
09/04/2010 9:49:42 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
To: 75thOVI; aimhigh; Alice in Wonderland; AndrewC; aragorn; aristotleman; Avoiding_Sulla; BBell; ...
2
posted on
09/04/2010 9:50:11 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
To: AdmSmith; bvw; callisto; ckilmer; dandelion; ganeshpuri89; gobucks; KevinDavis; Las Vegas Dave; ...
3
posted on
09/04/2010 9:51:06 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
To: SunkenCiv
LOL, I hadn’t realized that Civilization had sunken that low.
4
posted on
09/04/2010 9:57:16 AM PDT
by
Paladin2
To: SunkenCiv
5
posted on
09/04/2010 10:06:47 AM PDT
by
VaRepublican
(I would propagate taglines but I don't know how. But bloggers do.)
To: SunkenCiv
Maybe
this helps to explain the problems in many real estate markets?
6
posted on
09/04/2010 10:11:16 AM PDT
by
Paladin2
To: SunkenCiv
Time for some outside the box thinking.
7
posted on
09/04/2010 10:17:05 AM PDT
by
allmost
To: SunkenCiv
The research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Welch Foundation. Hadn't heard of the Welch Foundation. Is that "Neutron Jack"?
8
posted on
09/04/2010 10:26:21 AM PDT
by
thulldud
(Is it "alter or abolish" time yet?)
To: SunkenCiv
9
posted on
09/04/2010 10:28:40 AM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet - Visualize)
To: Paladin2
10
posted on
09/04/2010 10:57:03 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
To: thulldud
The Welch Foundation promises grant money, but never actually gives it.
11
posted on
09/04/2010 10:58:41 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
To: JoeProBono; allmost; VaRepublican; Paladin2; thulldud
This is bound to be a polarizing topic.
/rimshot
12
posted on
09/04/2010 11:00:18 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
To: SunkenCiv
you had that in yer bag when you posted this huh?
13
posted on
09/04/2010 11:02:43 AM PDT
by
VaRepublican
(I would propagate taglines but I don't know how. But bloggers do.)
To: SunkenCiv
I couldn’t help being drawn to this thread.
14
posted on
09/04/2010 11:06:52 AM PDT
by
EternalVigilance
(The Thirteenth Amendment outlawed slavery. The Sixteenth Amendment brought it back.)
To: SunkenCiv
15
posted on
09/04/2010 11:34:50 AM PDT
by
Nateman
(If liberals are not screaming you are doing it wrong!)
To: VaRepublican
Nope, someone gave me some pointers.
16
posted on
09/04/2010 11:57:38 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
To: EternalVigilance
I’m glad, we needed a positive influence.
17
posted on
09/04/2010 11:58:28 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
To: SunkenCiv
ok I give. no more negative comments....
18
posted on
09/04/2010 12:03:43 PM PDT
by
VaRepublican
(I would propagate taglines but I don't know how. But bloggers do.)
To: SunkenCiv
I'm not real clear on this "explaining everyday phenomenon" thing.
19
posted on
09/04/2010 12:14:03 PM PDT
by
ForGod'sSake
(You have just two choices: SUBMIT or RESIST with everything you've got!)
To: VaRepublican
I love college football in the background while I ponder the direction of my thoughts.
20
posted on
09/04/2010 12:15:44 PM PDT
by
VaRepublican
(I would propagate taglines but I don't know how. But bloggers do.)
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