Electrons are defined as very small particles with a negative electrical charge that travels around the nucleus of an atom. This atom speck is responsible for several unique properties, such as wave and particle properties.
Electrons' Erratic Nature Still Perplexes Scientists
A publication from the Scientific American states that this particle spins so fast that scientists get a hard time trying to observe it, even with the use of the most advanced computers. Not only that, they are the smallest component of the atom that you can fit 2000 electrons in a single proton.
One important scientific theory states that an electron's exact position and momentum cannot be determined at the same time. According to The Guardian, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle states that determining an electron's precise position and direction simultaneously is impossible. It is so cunning that they named Walter White after it. To date, the best way to observe electrons is to freeze them until they begin to repel each other.
The electron is, without a doubt, the atomic bigfoot. Its very erratic and unpredictable nature gave physicists too much challenge and dilemma in suspending the particle, let alone manipulating it. This Asian team of scientists went so far as to create an atomic Lego set to simulate the powerful particle, as first reported by South China Morning Post.
In order to more accurately observe the melting of frozen electrons, a group of physicists from China, Hong Kong, and Japan created a device that could peer into the subatomic spectacle. Although quantum mechanics is based on clearly defined units and strict rules, the complexity of the subject necessitates extensive research.
An Atomic Lego Set?
A device that uses specially structured carbon atoms to observe electrons has reportedly been developed by physicists from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Japan, according to the South China Morning Post report. They discovered a new intermediate phase as the electrons transitioned from a crystal state to a liquid state.
Because studying the electron necessitates using the best supercomputers due to its exponentially expanding array of possibilities, the aforementioned team of physicists intends to use an atomic lego set made of a strong fullerene of bonded carbon atoms to harness the strength of pure carbon in testing electrons.
This concept is derived from a Nobel Prize-winning scientific breakthrough in 2010 that used carbon in such a flat form and with exceptional properties originating from the interesting world of quantum physics. This study streamlines graphene as the perfect atomic lattice.
According to Phys.Org, it is made of a single layer of atoms. In the case of graphene, these are arranged in a hexagonal pattern, which contributes to its incredible strength. It also has unprecedented electrical and thermal conductivity, is impermeable to gases, and can be both brittle and ductile.
According to Cheng Bin of Nanjing University, the quantum disordered state of the electrons could be eliminated by adding a horizontal magnetic field to the material, similar to melting ice directly into the water.
