2 ms·
>Apparently one of the things that happens when a material transitions into a superconducting state is it stretches (by an infinitesimal amount) in the conducti
by hammock 3y ago
>Apparently one of the things that happens when a material transitions into a superconducting state is it stretches (by an infinitesimal amount) in the conducting direction. This stretching is not like usual stretching where there’s a change in the actual structure of the material. Rather, it is the bonds between each atom that stretch - pulling them into a slightly different state, one that happens to let electrons flow completely freely (ie superconducting). This “infinitesimal stretching” is usually caused by magnetic alignment, which is induced by super cold temperatures.
That kind of sounds like the tipping point when you stretch a rubber band, where the resistance kind of goes off a cliff and gets a lot easier to pull
- reaperman 3y agoI appreciate this perspective. It must be noted that it's truly nothing like stretching a rubber band, but your comment gave me sincere joy anyways.
- Karellen 3y agoReminds me of this bit of dialogue from The Doctor's Wife: Rory: What is this place? The scrapyard at the end of the universe? 11: Not end of. Outside of. Rory: How we can we be outside the universe? The universe is everything. 11: Imagine a great big soap bubble with one of those tiny little bubbles on the outside. Rory: OK. 11: Well, it's nothing like that.
- carabiner 3y ago[flagged]
- rsfern 3y agoRubber bands are actually kind of complicated materials, they have more than one elastic regime before you have any plastic deformation. Maybe that’s what they are referring to. It’s not a perfect analogy, but applied strain changes a property in each case (elastic modulus for the rubber, conductivity for TFA) https://www.eng.uc.edu/~beaucag/Classes/Characterization/Herve%20Marand%20Rubber%20Elasticity%20Lecture17.pdf https://www.eng.uc.edu/~beaucag/Classes/Characterization/Her...
- nunuvit 3y agoHow could that possibly harm anyone?