Chicago, Illinois Aug 14, 2023 (Issuewire.com) - Researchers have observed something new, something phenomenal for the first time. In the lab, they have performed a new type of chemistry on extremely small particles at very cold temperatures which made them enable quick and precise reactions. This has been named "quantum superchemistry". This has been long theorized but has never been seen before, which is a phenomenon in which molecules or atoms in the identical quantum state will chemically react more rapidly than molecules or atoms that are in different quantum states. A quantum state is known as a set of characteristics consisting of a quantum particle, like energy level or spin (angular momentum).
Researchers had to go to great lengths to observe this "new super-charged chemistry" where they had to coax atoms, but that was not it, they had to coax entire molecules as well into an identical quantum state. However, when they did, they saw that those chemical reactions did not transpire individually, but rather collectively. In addition to that, the more atoms were involved, as the greater the density of the atoms was, the faster the chemical reactions went. A professor of physics at the University of Chicago, Cheng Chin was the one who led the research. He said in a recent statement that, "What we saw lined up with the theoretical predictions." "This has been a scientific goal for 20 years, so it's a very exciting era" he continued.
The team of researchers reported what they found in the journal Nature Physics on 24th July. The team has observed this quantum super chemistry in the cesium atoms which were paired up to form molecules. Firstly they cooled the cesium gas to near complete zero, to the point where all motion came to a stop. In this extremely chilled and freezing state, they could ease each of the cesium atoms into the very same quantum state. Then they began altering the surrounding “magnetic field” to start the chemical bonding of the atoms. These atoms and molecules then reacted quickly to form the “two-atom cesium molecules”. This happened at a much quicker pace than the time when the researchers conducted the same experiment in normal, not super cooled gas.
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