Quantum fluids: Difference between revisions
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imported>Sekhar Talluri (intro or def. for quantum fluid) |
imported>Sekhar Talluri m (fix typo for sqrt) |
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A quantum fluid is a fluid where the mean distance between the particles is less than or comparable to the thermal de Broglie wavelength <math> h / sqrt(2 \pi m k T)</math>, where | A quantum fluid is a fluid where the mean distance between the particles is less than or comparable to the thermal de Broglie wavelength <math> h / \sqrt(2 \pi m k T)</math>, where | ||
: <math> h </math> is the Planck's constant | : <math> h </math> is the Planck's constant | ||
: <math> m </math> m is the mass of the particles of the fluid | : <math> m </math> m is the mass of the particles of the fluid | ||
Revision as of 03:45, 16 January 2009
A quantum fluid is a fluid where the mean distance between the particles is less than or comparable to the thermal de Broglie wavelength , where
- is the Planck's constant
- m is the mass of the particles of the fluid
- k is the Boltzmann's constant and
- is the temperature.
In such cases there is a strong overlap of wavefunctions of adjacent particles and hence quantum statistics are applicable. This often results in unusual observable macroscopic phenomena, such as superfluidity, superconductivity and other 'super' transport phenomena.
Reference: Nobel lecture by D.M.Lee (Physics, 1996).