Quantum Weirdness: Pendulum Speeds Up Instead of Slowing Down

Finnish researches have made a discovery that defies the traditional laws of chemistry. Generally it is known that if you swing a pendulum through a fluid such as water, the pendulum will slow down as it is dragged through. However, scientists have discovered that when swinging a pendulum through a quantum fluid, the pendulum will actually speed up. This is done with a substance called Fermi liquid, which is created through cooling helium-3 atoms at very low temperatures. A quasiparticle appears, which carries a spin, charge, and momentum like we know particles to, but moves about the liquid like "bullets". Generally, it takes heat to speed up particles that interact with each other to form strong bonds. In the Fermi liquid strong bonds are not made, allowing objects to flow through without slowing down. This discovery goes to show that while we maintain the conventional laws of chemistry, there are always new discoveries to be made that can defy even the most basic of rules.

See:  http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/01/quantum-pendulum-liquid/

Posted by Ana-Elisa Gentle