Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Absolute Zero
Chapter 351: Absolute Zero
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation | Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Tang Rui listened for a long time.
He wasn’t particularly moved by the concept of dimensional elevation, but if this theory was correct, it would have been interesting.
Since raising the energy level could elevate dimensions, then conversely, lowering the energy level might have reduced dimensions.
This line of thinking seemed reasonable.
Why was Tang Rui interested in dimension reduction?
Because there was a sci-fi weapon called a two-dimensional foil, which reduced three dimensions to two. Without equivalent technological power, it was invincible.
Returning to his room, Tang Rui began researching how to reduce dimensions.
Lowering particle energy levels was simple.
Just cool it down.
But the closer the temperature got to absolute zero, the harder it was to lower it further.
Wait…
Absolute zero.
Thinking of absolute zero, and then thinking about reducing dimensions, it seemed to make sense.
At absolute zero, all particle motion stops, freezing space and time.
This was akin to the two-dimensional foil reducing a region to two dimensions, freezing it like a photograph.
With this realization, Tang Rui’s eyes had lit up.
Reducing dimensions was feasible, but first, he had to achieve absolute zero to see the effects.
“Red Lotus, launch a space experiment capsule, equip it with all the necessary equipment for a low-temperature experiment, and then send it to Jupiter’s orbit,” Tang Rui had instructed Red Lotus.
“Okay, master.”
Such a frightening experiment was better conducted outside Earth.
If nothing came of it, all was well.
But if something was discovered, the consequences…
Were a bit scary.
In the following days, all scientists had been engrossed in researching the experimental data, neglecting sleep and food.
New discoveries emerged daily.
New particles found.
New physical phenomena discovered.
If these findings were considered significant before, they were now overshadowed by the discovery of particle energy level transitions and dimensional elevation.
Any discovery related to space, time, or dimensions was a groundbreaking achievement in physics.
Consequently, scientists who had planned to research other projects now converged to study dimensional elevation.
The next day, upon learning of this news, old man Witten, a Fields Medalist, had set aside his previous night’s findings and devoted himself to researching higher-dimensional space.
His mathematical prowess was unquestionable.
He rapidly derived a formula and even integrated it with string theory.
After deriving this formula, old man Witten had begun to promote his string theory ‘bible’.
Naturally, the Copenhagen interpretation did not agree.
Quantum mechanics vs string theory.
A fierce debate ensued.
Tang Rui, observing all this, was satiated with gossip and also learned a great deal.
After all, the knowledge these experts possessed was not something you could find in textbooks.
During the clash of ideas, each side had brought forth all they had.
Tang Rui even felt that if they continued at this rate, they might even develop a rudimentary Unified Field Theory.
Unfortunately, he had his own work and couldn’t continue to spectate.
The experimental capsule he had launched had reached Jupiter’s orbit and was ready for experimentation.
Tang Rui had returned to his room, had Red Lotus open the holographic projection, and begun the experiment.
The first step was to lower the temperature as much as possible.
Cryogenic experiments didn’t rely on commonly known liquid nitrogen, which wasn’t considered low enough.
To lower the temperature, a magnetic cooling method was used.
This method could bring the temperature infinitely close to absolute zero.
“Red Lotus, display the data,” Tang Rui had instructed.
“Okay, master.”
The equipment in the experimental capsule had been conducting a nuclear adiabatic demagnetization experiment.
Meanwhile, the temperature had been steadily dropping.
The current temperature was 0.0004.K, but as the magnetic field was reduced, the temperature continued to drop.
After several minutes, the temperature had fallen to 0.00002K, matching the record for the lowest temperature ever achieved in an experiment.
But as Tang Rui’s experiment continued with upgraded equipment allowing for further reduction in magnetic field strength, the temperature had stalled at O.OOOO1K.
It hit a wall.
At this point, molecular translational and rotational movements had ceased.
However, molecular vibration, electron movement, and nuclear movement, all at their lowest quantum states, could not be further frozen.
Especially electron movement.
It couldn’t be frozen using magnetic fields.
So, creating absolute zero using electromagnetic force was unfeasible.
Tang Rui hadn’t expected success on his first attempt.
He just wanted to experiment and see the results.
Overall, the results had been promising.
But to achieve absolute zero, he still lacked a clear approach, as he couldn’t immobilize electrons.
However, he had another experiment to conduct.
“Red Lotus, bring out the vacuum box and start the experiment,” Tang Rui had instructed.
“Okay, master.”
Under Red Lotus’s control, the previous experimental equipment had been converted into a vacuum box.
The next experiment
was similar to the previous one.
First, he needed to evacuate all air from the box, ensuring no air, or rather, minimal particles were present.
Then he would employ the magnetic cooling method again.
This way, as the box’s temperature approached absolute zero, the particles inside would not receive any external energy.
The particles inside the box couldn’t be cooled to absolute zero, but that wasn’t a problem.
The next phase involved a particle accelerator nozzle inside the box, capable of emitting high-speed particles.
These particles would collide with the particles inside the box.
Their energy levels would rise initially but would quickly drop.
The key was the transformation and consumption during this process.
From disorder to order.
From high energy levels to low energy levels.
He wanted to see what effects would occur at temperatures near absolute zero.
Buzzing…
As the air in the vacuum box had been completely evacuated, leaving behind only invisible, minuscule particles that might not even belong to the box, but could appear out of the void.
These were hard to ascertain.
But Tang Rui didn’t care; he was conducting an experiment.
When the vacuum cooling approached absolute zero, the particle accelerator had emitted an electron.
The electron collided with particles inside the box.
Their energy burst forth.
But then, the energy levels had plummeted rapidly.
Tang Rui watched the large screen in front of him, where the data refreshed quickly, soon reaching a point close to absolute zero.
But it had stalled again at a difference of fifty millionths of a degree.
The temperature couldn’t drop any further.
Damn it!
Tang Rui had cursed in frustration.
It was so vexing.
“Red Lotus, analyze the data,” Tang Rui had instructed.
“Okay, master.”
He had felt close to success, but the final laws of physics stubbornly blocked the way.
The barrier of absolute zero seemed truly insurmountable.
Soon, Red Lotus had completed the data analysis.
Setting aside other data, the reason for the failure was simple.
Particles exist in their lowest quantum state, and without solving this issue, it was impossible to reach absolute zero..