Sally Ember's Blog, page 41
September 5, 2016
National Read a Book Day — charles french words reading and writing
Originally posted on Annette Rochelle Aben: So, like I really believe that National Read a Book Day, should be every day… Yet when I was checking the “calendar of days” sites for special days here in September, guess what I found. There is actually a National Read a Book Day! Of course, as with many…
via National Read a Book Day — charles french words reading and writing
Filed under: Writing
September 3, 2016
The Fourteenth Chapter — Kate McClelland
~~~ Chapter Fourteen An unholy alliance With Ithis still incapable of helping them sort out the next artefact’s location, until she had got over the physical and mental shock of encountering her de… Source: The Fourteenth Chapter
via The Fourteenth Chapter — Kate McClelland
Filed under: Writing
August 25, 2016
What I got from The Schrödinger Sessions II: Physics for Science-Fiction Writers, Sixth Installment (FINAL)
What I got from The Schrödinger Sessions II: Physics for Science-Fiction Writers, Sixth Installment (FINAL)
JULY 28, 2016 to JULY 30, 2016
http://jqi.umd.edu/Schrodinger-sessions-II
I have over thirty pages of notes and comments. Not going to put them all in one post, so here is the sixth and FINAL installment. Look for others starting August 8, 2016: http://www.sallyember.com/blog
For any terms or concepts I don’t define or which I define poorly, please refer to: http://www.physicsoftheuniverse.com/glossary.html
I don’t have any more than what I’m posting, here. Physicists: please add, comment, correct, elaborate, explain! Thanks!
NOTE: the superscripted and subscripted numbers and letters won’t copy/paste correctly here; sorry.
Session XV, Chad Orzel, Ph.D.
Quantum Applications
A. “Photons are their own anti-particles” Does that mean they are their own “worst enemies”?
B. 10 to the 120th power Dark Energy pushes things apart, which means “empty space” expands and “empty” isn’t “empty.”
C. Matter waves as opposed to gravitational waves or electromagnetic waves or light waves
D. intrinsic spin
E. because of Quantum Physics applications (specifically, supercooling), we have GPS satellites guiding us by triangulation of time, location and three readings
F. 1 foot per nanosecond is the speed of light in American measurement
G. atoms can act like frequency references or time references
H. Cesium‘s behavior (is heavy and moves slowly, was abundant and easy to detect in the 1950s) was used to create measures of time
I. time is defined by how long a second is, which is the number of oscillations in a microwave in the transition between two spin states of Cesium (see H, above) = 9,192,631,720
J. Foundation Clock in which cold atoms launched UP through a microwave cavity (atoms are laser cooled /supercooled)
K. Dopler shift is low when atoms are moving slowly (because cold)
L. Optical lattice clocks use Strontium
M. Relational Geodesy recognizes the local variations in Earth (or any orb)
N. better living at lower elevations: our hearts beat more slowly and we age more slowly than those at higher elevations (Einstein’s Relativity application)
O. Earth is slowing down in its orbit and rotation, both, adding leap seconds periodically to the standard time setting for the atomic clock
P. interstellar navigation clocks won’t match Earth’s, which can cause problems, but traveling at light or Faster-Than-Light (FTL) speeds causes more problems(for sci-fi writers, here)
Q. Fine Structure Constant (FSC) determines the strength of electromagnetism “energies of atomic states,” “energies of electron orbits” in neutrons or energies
= about 1/37 = α
AKA Sommerfeld’s constant = α
R. Fine = Formula 1
Hyperfine = Formula 2
S. exotic physics changes (alpha, or α)
T. Astronomical Constraints absorption of emission lines from far away, moving away from ours = redshifted
U. Australian Dipole
when the FSC is smaller in the past, going toward “west”
when the FSC is larger in the past, going toward “east”
V. Dimensionless number
Formula FSC is α = 1/4πEsubscript0 * e squared/ħc which is about 1/137 OR 4πεsubscript0 * ħcα = e squared
FMI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine-structure_constant
where c = the speed of light
ħ = h/2π
h = Planck’s constant
E zero subscript = electric constant = permittivity of free space;
e = electromagnetic coupling constant
W. “each multiverse could have slightly different FSCs because the size of atoms could vary”!
X. anthropic principle = “we” all wouldn’t be “here” if not for the fact that the FSC “here” is 1/137
Y. Do ice skaters in spins create a magnetic field?
Z. electrons aren’t actually “orbiting” or “spinning,” but seem to be and therefore, can be measured by their angular momentum and the magnetic fields they create
A’. spin = 1/2 when there is “odd” behavior under rotation
= spin up when it rotates 360 degrees, which does not take it back to the start, though (-1 rotation)
= spin down which then rotates it another 360 degrees and DOES bring it back to the starting position (2 rotations)
Change in spin occurs when a particle is bombarded with light or emits light
B’. Pauli Exclusion Principle = no two electrons (fermions) can be in the exact same state, which explains the Periodic Table of all elements, each with its unique position
Chemical bonds determine if some element is a “conductor” or “insulator” as a solid object or liquid or gas
C’. state of electron in a small area or in the same quantum system = the location + charge
every electron is in a wavefunction in this universe; if one changes, ALL of them change (“imperceptibly”)
D’. When the wavelength is about the same distance as the distance between electrons, changing one changes all “perceptibly”
E’. Spooky Action at a Distance, George Masser;
Black Hole Blues, Janna Levin (2016)
Session XVI, Bill Phillips, Ph.D., NIST, LIGO & JQI, Nobel Prize Winner (one of three on team), 1997, for invention of laser cooling techniques still used today
Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics
A. meter = a measurement based on the amount of space light can travel in certain amount of time (about 39 inches)
B. quantum measurement
C. wave-particle duality
D. Alan Aspect (pronounced as a French name, “au” at the end) proved that QM (Quantum Mechanics) is as weird as we have heard it is.
E. Local Reality says that nothing exists independently of a measurement (John/Bill’s inequality)
F. “think globally” = nonlocality comprehension
G. “real” is what we call objective reality, in which something has properties that are knowable prior to measurement
H. “extra stuff” are all the hidden variables of existence
I. “reality is deterministic”
J. most physicists would “give up” “reality” if a forced choice between that and “locality” were to be made
K. “photography ‘traps’ a moment”
L. our microscopic world, as measured, doesn’t conform to perceptions of our macroscopic world: why?
M. Hugh Everett (1958) posited that “relative states” lead us to understand that there are “many worlds” in 1968 and the multiverse in the 1970s.
N. decoherence means we can’t detect other outcomes in the multiverse, only the ones we can observe directly (measure)
O. John Kramer’s sci-fi books used “transactional” interpretations, showing that waves go back & forwards in time
P. decoherence says that we lose our ability to know how something is moving because there are too many factors and entanglements (things go from QM to classical probability)
Q. Block Vector
R. Absolute value is written with straight lines before and after a number to show that it is positive or negative, but still retains that number’s value (e.g., the Absolute Value of -1 or 1 is 1).
S. “most of physics’ definitions are in a relation to humans”: what we can know, measure, understand, observe vs. actual (objective) entities, qualities, truths, that are “independent of human interaction”
T. “all we have is knowledge of the systems, not the actual data of the systems’ existence”
U. a quantum measurement occurs when something sufficiently complicated encounters the object or event and it has an irreversible effect by becoming entangled
V. cavity —— atom
photon (which can go either way)
W. “the size of a system is inversely proportional to its reversibility”: the larger the system, the less reversible any effects are
X. quantum “back-action”
Y. 2012 Nobel prize involved experiments on single atoms and single photons (not in pairs or groups)
Z. we can’t have a classical physics world/universe
A’. we can’t have a non-quantum world, either
B’. Faster-Than-Light (FTL) travel creates causality problems and affects many other beings, events and circumstances (for sci-fi writers, FYI)
C’. special relativity = before and after are constructs, and therefore, no causality can ever occur
END OF ALL Sessions
See below for more information about The Schrödinger Sessions.
Who was in charge?
Coordinators:
Chad Orzel, Union College
Emily Edwards, JQI
Steve Rolston, JQI
Organizing Institutions
Joint Quantum Institute (JQI)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Sponsoring Institutions
This workshop was made possible by a Public Outreach and Informing the Public grant from the American Physical Society (APS) and support from the National Science Foundation (NSF)
Location
Joint Quantum Institute
2136 Physical Sciences Complex
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
USA
How did I get to go?
I applied in March and was accepted in April!
The Schrödinger Sessions II was the second of two (first was 2015) three-day (2.5 days, really) sets of seminars, Physics for Science-Fiction Writers, offering a “crash course” in modern physics for non-scientists who utilize physics and other sciences in our work and wish to do it better. It was held at the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI), one of the world’s leading research centers for the study of quantum mechanics. [The organizers kept their promises to] introduce participants to phenomena like superposition, entanglement, and quantum information through a series of lectures by JQI and NIST scientists and tours of JQI laboratories. [They most certainly DID] inform and inspire new stories [and sharing information, like this] in print, on screen, and in electronic media, that will in turn inspire a broad audience to learn more about the weird and fascinating science of quantum physics and the transformative technologies it enables.
The workshop was held at JQI from Thursday, July 28 through Saturday, July 30, 2016. Participants were housed locally at a university dorm with breakfast offered at a dining commons near the dorm and lunch provided at the workshop, which was at the Physical Sciences building. Evenings were free to allow participants to explore the Washington, D.C. area (but I was much too tired at each day’s end to do any exploring).
Participants were selected on the basis of an application asking about personal background, interest, and publication history. [Organizers worked] work to ensure the greatest possible diversity of race and gender as well as type of media (print, television, etc.) with an eye toward reaching the broadest audience. Applications were accepted online from March 1 through March 20, 2015, and acceptance decisions were made around April 15, 2015.
FYI: Next year, 2017, JQI plans to offer a similar seminar for a different professoinal group, Physics for Journalists, and then, pending funding, re-offer this same session as I attended, Physics for Sci-Fi Writers, in the summer of 2018.
Watch this space for more of my notes, reactions and ideas catalyzed by these great seminars, after 8/8/16! http://www.sallyember.com/blog
Filed under: Science, Science Fiction and Fantasy Tagged: authors, Joint Quantum Institute, physics, quantum physics, science, science fiction, scifi, Writers
August 24, 2016
New job report, 2 days in…
New job report, 2 days in…
FYI: rolling registration for “Doors to Success” High School Equivalency (HSE) “HiSET” (no longer called the G.E.D. in Missouri) exams preparation, academic skills improvement and life/jobs skills program for youth ages 17 – 23, in both Maplewood (mornings) and Hazelwood/Spanish Lake (mornings and afternoons), in St. Louis County, Missouri, USA, throughout the year! 314-415-4940 for more information and to sign up for an Orientation (occurring about twice/month). Also, Parkway area AEL has regular Adult Education and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes year-round, too, in dozens of locations around the County.
1) role-played and coached a student on her first job interview (will find out today how she think the actual interview went);
2) explained to a student studying history what economic and social classes are, what defines them and how they impact politics as well as which groups were denied the vote in the USA and for how long;
3) collaborated with a student to choose her assignment topics for critical reading and vocabulary building and she chose to include a story about Uri Geller (friends, family members and readers of The Spanners Series by Sally Ember, Ed.D., Volume I, This Changes Everything, know why that is funny);
4) figured out how to and did “open” the space for the afternoon session (not uncomplicated);
5) went over pre-testing and class assignment results with two students and explained/discussed which questions were actually “wrong” because they didn’t know the answer and which were “I read it too fast or not carefully” issues;
6) explained to three students how test-makers try to trick test-takers and how not to be fooled;
7) when asked “What were things like for you when you were 17?” related the story of my taking several hours off from school to sit in our dad’s car and listen to the radio in the school parking lot, waiting to hear what lottery draft number was going to be assigned randomly to my one-year-older-than-I brother and my then-boyfriend. Told her how I sat there, alone, crying and praying they would get a high number, meaning, they would not be drafted for the war in Vietnam.
I explained how that was horrifying because others I knew would and did get drafted. Got teary telling her what a scary, terrible time that was for all the boys and people who loved them.
She was very quiet and got teary, too, and then said; “I meant, what music did you listen to?” We laughed.
All in all, a good two days! Thanks, Parkway Area Adult Education and Literacy, for including me in your teaching staff for “Doors to Success”!
P.S.: #7 reminded me (a little too late…) of an incident that happened to my dear friend and fellow parent, Bill Whyte (Badger Bill), with his daughter, Emily Schwerin-Whyte, when she was about four years old in the early 1980s.
Emily asked her father, a renowned expert on visualization, stress management, relaxation and such: “Daddy? What is ‘stress’?”
Bill, in his best fatherly voice, was about to launch into an explanation of stress fit for a 4-year-old when he has the perspicacity to ask: “What do you mean, Emily?”
She answered: “Oh, you know: like ‘seamstress.'”
He said that he blew out a long breath and was relieved that he hadn’t burdened his pre-schooler with his prepared, long, drawn-out explanation that she hadn’t really requested….
I should have remembered that!
Filed under: adult education, Life lessons, Personal stories, Politics Tagged: adult education, draft, job interviews, politics, reading, Sally Ember, Sally Ember Ed.D Author, students, teaching, test-taking, The Spanners Series, This Changes Everything, Uri Geller, USA, Vietnam War, voting rights
August 23, 2016
Thanks for the birthday wishes, but...
is free; all paperbacks and ebooks available at discounts or free to bona fide reviewers:
and
! Pretty please? I would rather have readers and reviews than virtual cupcakes and flowers, any day. Really!
All info and links: http://www.sallyember.com/Spanners Thanks even more!
What I got from The Schrödinger Sessions II: Physics for Science-Fiction Writers, Fifth Installment
What I got from The Schrödinger Sessions II: Physics for Science-Fiction Writers, Fifth Installment
JULY 28, 2016 to JULY 30, 2016
http://jqi.umd.edu/Schrodinger-sessions-II
I have over thirty pages of notes and comments. Not going to put them all in one post, so here is the fifth installment. Look for others starting August 8, 2016: http://www.sallyember.com/blog
For any terms or concepts I don’t define or which I define poorly, please refer to: http://www.physicsoftheuniverse.com/glossary.html
I don’t have any more than what I’m posting, here. Physicists: please add, comment, correct, elaborate, explain! Thanks!
NOTE: the superscripted and subscripted numbers and letters won’t copy/paste correctly here; sorry.
Session XII, Professor Fred Wellstood, Ph.D.
Superconductivity and Nanophysics
A. zero resistance, persistent currents, flux quantization, Meissner effect, penetration depth, critical field, magnetic levitation to be covered, here
B. zero resistance to electric current
C. persistent currents Faraday’s Law = changing magnetic flux causes voltage (current)
D. Lenz’s Law = current generates a field that opposes changes in the applied field
E. “trapped current never decays if kept cold”
F. MRIs have superconducting magnets
G. flux quantization quantum flux flattens out the waves because the flux is “quantized” when trapped current produces a trapped magnetic field which creates the flux quantum integer
H. flux = inductant x current
I. perfect conductors do exist
J. Meissner effect = expulsion of the magnetic field because it is cooled and becomes perfect diamagnetism
K. London penetration depth = the surface current keeps the magnetic field on the surface
L. magnetic levitation they did several demos of this with magnets and supercooled substances that kept the magnets floating around, going around on a kind of marbles’ maze track, but above it
M. magnetic fields can be too small or too strong/have too large of a magnetic field, and then they are no longer superconductors
N. several types of superconductors exist
O. Type 1 superconductor is the most commonly used
Type 2 superconductor is the most commonly found
P. Type 2 superconductors can get their magnetic fields “trapped” inside and hang suspended and fly around the rollercoaster of the magnets (saw demos!)
Q. Absolute Zero = -459◦F
R. H2S is Hydrogen DiSulfide
H3S is Hydrogen TriSulfide
both are superconductors
S. Columb repulsion electrons repel other electrons and attract positive ionic lattice (crystalline). The lattice stretches and becomes composed of phonons
T. another electron travels close to the lattice (see above) because it is attracted by a free electron‘s positive charge in the lattice (the stretched phonons) and so it “pairs up” with that electron
Session XIII: Steve Eckel, Ph.D. NIST & JQI
A. cold/ultracold neutral atoms
B. did demos with liquid Nitrogen (ultracold)
C. dry ice is about -100◦F (made of CO2)
liquid Nitrogen is about -300◦F, or 77◦K
D. Absolute Zero is 0◦C
room temperature is usually around 300◦K
E. outer space is about 1◦K
F. the Joint Quantum Institute‘s labs have materials kept (through laser cooling) at about 10 to the -100 billions of 0◦K
G. laser cooling technology is what three professors here won the Nobel Prize for (one is presenting later in these seminars)
H. e = the excited state
g = the ground state
of an atom’s energy
I. evaporative cooling is the technique used
J. inertial navigation
K. GPS devices will have clocks that use cold atoms, soon
L. “atomic” clocks already do (see K, above)
M. atom laser is the same as a photon laser in that both have a monochromatic phase with coherent emissions
N. interfering laser beams can create crystalline lattices to simulate quantum problems
O. chirality = the direction current is flowing in a spiral (4 types of chirality: down, counter-clockwise; up, counter-clockwise; down, clockwise; up, clockwise)
P. the number of spiral arms is the winding number of superfluidity substance/atoms
Session XIV, Raban Sundrom, Ph.D.
Theoretical Physics
A. Photon vs. phonon
when discussing gravitational waves, which are they?
GW have to be photons because they are traveling through no medium (outer space)
B. didn’t discuss wormholes (but I wished that someone had!)
C. massless neutrinos also travel at the speed of light
D. magnetic statics are at an equilibrium because of the reliability of waves of electromagneticism as slower than the speed of light
E. “dancing” electromagnetic waves
F. without time, “physics is merely space and locations of objects,” statically
G. dynamics means that things change, can be predicted and retroactively understood because of time
if we add the square root of negative 1 (an imaginary number, i) to time, all the physics equations suddenly “work”!!
H. a medium exists if the particles/waves possess observable/measurable rest frame. If “yes,” then “yes.”
I. anti-matter must exist as a corollary of quantum mechanics and relativity; quantum vacuum
a worldline oi a body’s locations over time, which can be observed by measuring /connecting “dots” and then collect all the worldlines as its “history” (e.g., an object starts somewhere at 9 AM; go to 5 PM; show every location for that object in each minute, then connect those dots into one “line” = that object’s day’s worldline)
J. if we do that with matter and then show that anti-matter meets up with the matter again at 9 AM by “time-traveling,” that is the object’s annihilation point, when the past “self” meets up with the future “self” and they collide
K. energy cost is represented by Einstein’s General Relativity equation E = mc2 (squared) where E is energy, m is mass and c is the speed of light, squared.
L. positron is an electron with positive charge because it goes backward in time (!?!)
M. bariogenesis (“heavy starts”) is posited to be the origin of matter
N. quantum vacuum: photons are their own anti-particles, but positrons and electrons are the lightest mass anti-matter/matter pair that exists (briefly) and shows that space isn’t “empty”
O. [I had to leave at this point….He continued for about one more hour. Anyone have notes?]
END OF DAY TWO
See below for more information about The Schrödinger Sessions.
Who was in charge?
Coordinators:
Chad Orzel, Union College
Emily Edwards, JQI
Steve Rolston, JQI
Organizing Institutions
Joint Quantum Institute (JQI)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Sponsoring Institutions
This workshop was made possible by a Public Outreach and Informing the Public grant from the American Physical Society (APS) and support from the National Science Foundation (NSF)
Location
Joint Quantum Institute
2136 Physical Sciences Complex
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
USA
How did I get to go?
I applied in March and was accepted in April!
The Schrödinger Sessions II was the second of two (first was 2015) three-day (2.5 days, really) sets of seminars, Physics for Science-Fiction Writers, offering a “crash course” in modern physics for non-scientists who utilize physics and other sciences in our work and wish to do it better. It was held at the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI), one of the world’s leading research centers for the study of quantum mechanics. [The organizers kept their promises to] introduce participants to phenomena like superposition, entanglement, and quantum information through a series of lectures by JQI and NIST scientists and tours of JQI laboratories. [They most certainly DID] inform and inspire new stories [and sharing information, like this] in print, on screen, and in electronic media, that will in turn inspire a broad audience to learn more about the weird and fascinating science of quantum physics and the transformative technologies it enables.
The workshop was held at JQI from Thursday, July 28 through Saturday, July 30, 2016. Participants were housed locally at a university dorm with breakfast offered at a dining commons near the dorm and lunch provided at the workshop, which was at the Physical Sciences building. Evenings were free to allow participants to explore the Washington, D.C. area (but I was much too tired at each day’s end to do any exploring).
Participants were selected on the basis of an application asking about personal background, interest, and publication history. [Organizers worked] work to ensure the greatest possible diversity of race and gender as well as type of media (print, television, etc.) with an eye toward reaching the broadest audience. Applications were accepted online from March 1 through March 20, 2015, and acceptance decisions were made around April 15, 2015.
FYI: Next year, 2017, JQI plans to offer a similar seminar for a different professoinal group, Physics for Journalists, and then, pending funding, re-offer this same session as I attended, Physics for Sci-Fi Writers, in the summer of 2018.
Watch this space for more of my notes, reactions and ideas catalyzed by these great seminars, after 8/8/16! http://www.sallyember.com/blog
Filed under: Science, Science Fiction and Fantasy Tagged: authors, Joint Quantum Institute, physics, quantum physics, science, science fiction, Writers
August 21, 2016
Proofreading 101 – The Ultimate List of Things to Edit For – The White Corner Creative… — Mysticalwriter
Originally posted on Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog: ? Proofreading is a vital part of writing a blog post, and if you create your own list of things to edit for it can also be one of the easiest. Source: Proofreading 101 – The Ultimate List of Things to Edit For – The…
Filed under: Writing
How to Publish a Book: Steps to Creating an eBook or Print Book — Mysticalwriter
Originally posted on Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog: Extract from an article on DIY Author: As the landscape in publishing continues to change, authors of all types are looking into self-publishing options. Maybe you’re a veteran author who has regained the rights to your backlist titles, and want to self-publish to get these…
via How to Publish a Book: Steps to Creating an eBook or Print Book — Mysticalwriter
Filed under: Writing
Off the Grid: A Couple Spends 24 Years Building a Floating Island Home in Canada — ALK3R
Twenty-five years ago artists Catherine King and Wayne Adams made the realization they would never have enough income to afford real estate so they made a fairly radical decision: they would build an island.
via Off the Grid: A Couple Spends 24 Years Building a Floating Island Home in Canada — ALK3R
Filed under: Writing
August 18, 2016
What I got from The Schrödinger Sessions II: Physics for Science-Fiction Writers, Fourth Installment
What I got from The Schrödinger Sessions II: Physics for Science-Fiction Writers, Fourth Installment
JULY 28, 2016 to JULY 30, 2016
http://jqi.umd.edu/Schrodinger-sessions-II
I have over thirty pages of notes and comments. Not going to put them all in one post, so here is the fourth installment. Look for others starting August 8, 2016: http://www.sallyember.com/blog
For any terms or concepts I don’t define or which I define poorly, please refer to: http://www.physicsoftheuniverse.com/glossary.html
I don’t have any more than what I’m posting, here. Physicists: please add, comment, correct, elaborate, explain! Thanks!
NOTE: the superscripted and subscripted numbers and letters won’t copy/paste correctly here; sorry.
Session IX, Professor Shelby Kimmel, Ph.D.
Quantum Algorithms (QA)
A. computers collapse into black holes if continuous storage exponentially occurs (Lloyd, Nature, 2016)
B. algorithm = a set of instructions on how to behave
C. can create quantum cryptography, but we haven’t, yet
D. thermal rate constant = the rate of chemical reactions (measured by the amount of heat emitted)
E. writing algorithms is like engineering waves’ sizes and location on a beach: even though it’s all visible, it’s very complicated (many variables and factors influence waves’ locations at any given moment)
F. superposition and destructive or constructive interference led to the need to create QA
G. running each QA many times is needed to validate each one
H. functions
ʄ(x) = 2x squared – 3
I. quantum query complexity refers to the number of times needed to use a classical computer to ask about the variables in the functions, above
J. even parity refers to an even # of some certain outputs
K. initializing means starting back at zero, or cooling back down to the lowest temperature of the object/particle
Session X: all present
A. discussed the phenomenon of physicists’ personifying their objects/particles in speaking about their behaviors (see Day 2, Session 2, N)
B. anthropomorphic language leads to phrases like “breaking isolation” for taking a measurement/observing, and “preferences” for natural propensities, using “like”
Session XI, Professor Gretchen Campbell, Ph.D.
A. Isotopes are lighter and have less density and mass than regular elements because they have fewer neutrons
B. Ground state is the ground energy of the element (when it’s supercooled)
C. lighter atoms have larger wavelengths which makes them behave more quantumly (superposition-like)
D. superfluids conduct heat 500 x better than metals (e.g., copper, the best one) and flow without resistance
E. viscosity (thickness) of a liquid goes away when an element is supercooled
F. this supercooling occurs at 2.17K (Kelvin) which is called the transition temperature
G. temperature travels in waves
H. some of the 4 He (Helium isotope) does not become a superfluid and stays ordinary, which creates temperature gradients (differences within the fluid) and waves
I. “any state should be identical if we precisely exchange two particles” (there is no “handedness” of bosons or any two particles)
J. bosons are identical
K. bosons bunch together
L. anti-symmetrical particles (which do have “handedness,” e.g., right, left, top, bottom “spin”) are called fermions (anti-identical)
M. fermions “avoid” and “repel” one another because they “can’t be in the same place at the same time” unless they are supercooled
N. neutrons (when individual, single) are fermions because they are “energy barriers”
O. 4 He is a boson
P. 3 He (another Helium isotope) is a fermion
Q. odd numbers of bosons become fermions while even numbers of fermions become bosons
R. particles that comprise atoms (protons, neutrons, electrons) are all fermions in their behavior (e.g., repelling each other) unless they are supercooled, then they become bosons in their behavior (clustering, e.g.)
S. photons are bosons (they bunch)
T. Bose-Einstein Condensates (BECs) are superfluids and are bosons and have integer spin
U. fermions are odd and have 1/2-integer spins
V. sometimes fermions pair up and behave like bosons (why? when?)
W. superfluids “can’t leave the lab” (can’t stay supercooled “out in the world”), so they are not much “use,” yet
X. “dilution refrigerator” is the mixture of 4 He and 3 He and does the supercooling action
See below for more information about The Schrödinger Sessions.
Who was in charge?
Coordinators:
Chad Orzel, Union College
Emily Edwards, JQI
Steve Rolston, JQI
Organizing Institutions
Joint Quantum Institute (JQI)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Sponsoring Institutions
This workshop was made possible by a Public Outreach and Informing the Public grant from the American Physical Society (APS) and support from the National Science Foundation (NSF)
Location
Joint Quantum Institute
2136 Physical Sciences Complex
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
USA
How did I get to go?
I applied in March and was accepted in April!
The Schrödinger Sessions II was the second of two (first was 2015) three-day (2.5 days, really) sets of seminars, Physics for Science-Fiction Writers, offering a “crash course” in modern physics for non-scientists who utilize physics and other sciences in our work and wish to do it better. It was held at the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI), one of the world’s leading research centers for the study of quantum mechanics. [The organizers kept their promises to] introduce participants to phenomena like superposition, entanglement, and quantum information through a series of lectures by JQI and NIST scientists and tours of JQI laboratories. [They most certainly DID] inform and inspire new stories [and sharing information, like this] in print, on screen, and in electronic media, that will in turn inspire a broad audience to learn more about the weird and fascinating science of quantum physics and the transformative technologies it enables.
The workshop was held at JQI from Thursday, July 28 through Saturday, July 30, 2016. Participants were housed locally at a university dorm with breakfast offered at a dining commons near the dorm and lunch provided at the workshop, which was at the Physical Sciences building. Evenings were free to allow participants to explore the Washington, D.C. area (but I was much too tired at each day’s end to do any exploring).
Participants were selected on the basis of an application asking about personal background, interest, and publication history. [Organizers worked] work to ensure the greatest possible diversity of race and gender as well as type of media (print, television, etc.) with an eye toward reaching the broadest audience. Applications were accepted online from March 1 through March 20, 2015, and acceptance decisions were made around April 15, 2015.
FYI: Next year, 2017, JQI plans to offer a similar seminar for a different professoinal group, Physics for Journalists, and then, pending funding, re-offer this same session as I attended, Physics for Sci-Fi Writers, in the summer of 2018.
Watch this space for more of my notes, reactions and ideas catalyzed by these great seminars, after 8/8/16! http://www.sallyember.com/blog
Filed under: Science Tagged: Joint Quantum Institute, physics, quantum physics, science, science fiction, scifi, Writers
