College Physics III – Thermodynamics, Electricity, and Magnetism
Definition
Kamerlingh Onnes was a Dutch physicist famous for discovering superconductivity in 1911. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1913 for his investigations on the properties of matter at low temperatures.
congrats on reading the definition of Kamerlingh Onnes. now let's actually learn it.
Kamerlingh Onnes discovered that mercury loses all electrical resistance when cooled to a temperature of 4.2 K.
He developed techniques to liquefy helium, which allowed him to reach extremely low temperatures necessary for his experiments.
In his seminal experiment, he observed that the resistivity of mercury dropped abruptly to zero, coining the term 'superconductivity'.
The unit of magnetic field strength, Tesla (T), is partly named in honor of Kamerlingh Onnes' contributions to low-temperature physics and superconductivity.
Kamerlingh Onnes’ discovery led to the development of technologies such as MRI machines and particle accelerators.
Review Questions
What significant phenomenon did Kamerlingh Onnes discover in 1911?
At what temperature did Kamerlingh Onnes observe mercury becoming superconductive?
How did Kamerlingh Onnes' work contribute to medical technology advancements?
A phenomenon where certain materials exhibit zero electrical resistance and expulsion of magnetic fields below a characteristic critical temperature.
Critical Temperature: The temperature below which a material becomes superconductive.
Helium Liquefaction: A process pioneered by Kamerlingh Onnes which involves cooling helium gas to produce liquid helium, enabling extremely low-temperature experiments.