It vocalize paradoxical but scientist say they have discovered that an element can be both liquid and solidat the same fourth dimension .
In a sketch shortly to be put out in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , scientists have reach a very particular state of matter of matter whereby potassium atoms display properties of both a liquid and a solid simultaneously .
So , how exactly does this work ? It all comes down to the structure of potassium .
In its substantial figure , atomic number 19 has a middling canonic crystal lattice - type structure . But put the element under extremely high insistency and that structure will reposition . It will become more complex , reshuffle so that five cylindrical tubes made up of atoms form an X - form while four farseeing chain gather between them .
The two arrangements are generally connect – so much so that when the temperature is turned up , the chains start to evaporate as the tubes stick around intact . The investigator describe it as a “ chain - melting passage ” .
“ It would be like holding a leech fill with water that start dripping out , except the sponge is also made of water , ” Andreas Hermann , written report co - author and a condense matter physicist at the University of Edinburgh , toldNational Geographic .
To find out what is going on here , Hermann and his colleague employ a neural web , a case of AI establish on the human mastermind and nervous system that “ acquire ” from a bank of previous example .
In this case , it was teach quantum mechanics using reckoner simulations of small group of potassium atoms . Post - training , it was able-bodied to create simulation ask 20,000 atoms and confirm that under the correct circumstances , atomic number 19 can achieve this string - disappear state .
This fall out at press between 20,000 and 40,000 metre high than atmospherical atmospheric pressure and only when temperature have reached 400 to 800 Kelvin ( 127 - 527 ° C or 260 - 980 ° F ) . At this percentage point , the weak chains in the potassium dissolve but the stronger electron tube continue solid – creating this bizarre part solid , part liquid state state .
harmonize toNational Geographic , this is the first time scientist have been able-bodied to show it is potential to accomplish this commonwealth and for it to be stable – foranyelement , which is very exciting clobber . There are over half a dozen other ingredient ( including sodium and bismuth ) that , like K , are imagine to be able to achieve this strange DoS under the good consideration .
“ K is one of the elementary metals we know , yet if you squeeze it , it forms very complicated structures , ” Hermann enunciate in astatement .
“ We have demonstrate that this unusual but stable state is part square and part liquid . Recreating this unusual United States Department of State in other material could have all form of applications . ”
This is just the late experiment to show affair are n’t always as simple as they seem , specially when it come to states of topic . Despite what most of us learned at school , materials can exist in states other than self-colored , liquid , and gas . As well asplasma , scientist have discovereddropletons , the Jahn - Teller alloy , Bose - Einstein condensate – evensupersolidsandsuperfluids .
