Superconductivity Essay example - 1635 Words

Superconductivity INTRODUCTION Weve all heard about superconductivity. But, do we all know what it is? How it works and what are its uses? To start talking about superconductivity, we must try to understand the how quot;normalquot; conductivity works. This will make it much easier to understand how the quot;superquot; part functions. In the following paragraphs, I will explain how superconductivity works, some of the current problems and some examples of its uses. CONDUCTIVITY Conductivity is the ability of a substance to carry electricity. Some substances like copper, aluminium, silver and gold do it very well. They are called conductors. Others conduct electricity partially and they are called semi-conductors. The concept of†¦show more content†¦The conducting wire is made of vibrating atoms called lattice. The higher the temperature, the more the lattice shakes making it harder for the electrons to travel through that wire. It becomes like a jungle full of obstacles. Some of the electrons will bump with the vibrating atoms and impurities and fly off in all directions and lose energy in form of heat. This is known as friction. This is where superconductivity comes into work. Inside a superconductor, the lattice and the impurities are still there, but their state is much different from that of an ordinary conductor. SUPERCONDUCTIVITY (Theory / history) Superconductivity was discovered in 1911 by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, a Dutch physicist. It is the ability to conduct electricity without resistance and without loss. At that time, it took liquid helium to get extremely low temperatures to make a substance superconduct, around 4 kelvins. That wasnt very far from absolute Zero (The theoretical temperature at which the atoms and molecules of a substance lose all of their frantic heat-dependent energy and at which all resistance stops short.) Kelvin believed that electrons travelling in a conductor would come to a complete stop as the temperature got close to absolute zero. But others were not so sure. Kelvin was wrong. The colder it gets, the less the lattice shakes, making it easier for electrons to get through. Theres one theory that explains best what happens in a superconducting wire: When a conductor is cooledShow MoreRelated Superconductivity Essay2830 Words   |  12 Pages SUPERCONDUCTIVITY DEFINITION OF SUPERCONDUCTIVITY Superconductivity is a phenomenon displayed by certain conductors that show no resistance to the flow of electric current. Conductors are materials in which the electron current goes through. There are 4 different kinds of conductors. Insulators, like glass or wood, have a very high resistance to electron current while semi-conductors, such as silicon, have a medium resistance. Conductors, like copper and other metals, have very low resistanceRead More The Materials, Properties, and Theory of Superconductivity Essay1504 Words   |  7 PagesThe purpose of this paper is to examine the materials, properties, and theory of superconductivity, a quantum phenomenon that occurs when a material is brought below a critical temperature and will conduct electricity without any resistance, the nearest model in nature to perpetual motion. According to Ecks (1990), Once current is applied to a superconducting material the current will continue in a closed lope without ever losing intensity. (Ecks , 1990) Superconductive materials can greatly varyRead MoreNew Superconductors: Advances, Issues, Limitations Report by Amber Taylor CHME 5699 Dr. Laura1200 Words   |  5 Pagesconsidered for simplicity and relevancy. Introduction and Background Superconductivity was first discovered a century ago in 1908 by Dutch physicist Heike Onnes[1] and is defined in classical physics as â€Å"perfect conductivity† or exactly zero electrical resistance (figure 1). With the discovery of the Meissner Effect in 1933, a new theory of superconductivity was formulated by Fritz and Hein London in 1935 stating superconductivity is a state in which the magnetic field lines of a material are completelyRead MoreEssay about Superconductors1066 Words   |  5 PagesSuperconductivity is a property displayed by certain materials at very low temperatures. Metals and their alloys have been known to be superconductive (ex. Tin, aluminum) other materials that have also been found to be superconductive are ceramics which contain copper and oxygen atoms. Superconductors have a special property which is that they can conduct electricity without resistance which means that energy is not lost. Once in motion, energy can flow through a closed loop of superconductiveRead MoreAdvances in Superconductors and their Uses Essay563 Words   |  3 Pagesdiscoveries of other high-temperature superconductors that exhibit lossless electrical flow at temperatures up to 125 °K. Classical superconductivity (superconductivity at temperatures near absolute zero) is displayed by some metals, including zinc, magnesium, lead, gray tin, aluminum, mercury, and cadmium. Other metals, such as molybdenum, may exhibit superconductivity after high purification. Alloys (e.g., two parts of gold to one part of bismuth) and such compounds as tungsten carbide and lead sulfideRead MoreThe Impact Of Eigenvalues On The Electron Phonon Coupling Strength Of Indium And Its Binary Alloys841 Words   |  4 Pages Core energy eigenvalue, Non-local screened form factor, Harrison’s first principle pseudopotential. INTRODUCTION The electron-phonon coupling strength gives us the superconducting state parameter. The basis of a general quantum theory of superconductivity was given in the year 1957 by Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer [1]. After a decade McMillan developed this BCS theory by the concept of pseudopotential [2]. In the present work we have used Harrison s first principle pseudopotential techniqueRead More Physics of Superconductors Essay example1323 Words   |  6 Pagesgiven by the follwoing eqution: Bc ≈ Bc(0) * [1 - (T/Tc)^2] In the early 1900s a duch physicist by the name of Heike Kammerlingh Onnes (pictured above), discovered superconductivity. Before his discovery, Onnes had spent most of his scientific career studying extreme cold. The first step he took toward superconductivity was on July 10, 1908 when he liquified helium and cooled it to an astonishing 4 K, which is roughly the temperature of the background radiation in open space. Using this liquidRead Moresuperconductivity and maglev trains1506 Words   |  7 Pagesno resistance that means there is no loss in energy. Superconductivity creates much more energy than a normal conductor. If a current can be superconducting its flow of electricity will remain continuous. There are 2 types of Superconductors: Type I and Type II. Type I Superconductors are made from pure metals. Type I has a zero electricity resistivity, zero magnetic field, and critical magnetic field above which superconductivity stops. (hyperphysics) Type I Superconductors are oftenRead MoreElectrical Conductors vs Insulators2781 Words   |  12 Pagesit produces losses in the energy flowing through the material. Once set in motion, current will flow forever in a closed loop of superconducting material. If mercury is cooled below 4.1 K, it loses all electric resistance. This discovery of superconductivity by H. Kammerlingh Onnes in 1911 was followed by the observation of other metals which exhibit zero resistivity below a certain critical temperature (Tc). The fact that the resistance is zero has been demonstrated by sustaining currents in superconductingRead MoreAn Inside Look at Superconducting Qubits Essay2028 Words   |  9 Pagesthe capacitor can be simultaneously negative as well as positive. Also the current in the circuit through the inductor can be flowing in both directions at the same time. These are termed as macroscopic quantum coherence effects. 1.1.2 Superconductivity On lowering the temperature of some metals (materials) to a scale of few kelvins the electrons experience a net attractive force amongst themselves. This is attraction is phonon mediated. As a result of bonding between two electrons near