How does Heisenbergs uncertainity principle imply that vaccum is not perfectly empty but filled with fluctuations?
2006-08-07 23:25:08 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
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A vacuum is a volume of space that is substansively empty of matter, so that gaseous pressure is much less than standard atmospheric pressure. The root of the word vacuum is the Latin adjective vacuus which means "empty," but space can never be perfectly empty. A perfect vacuum, known as "free space", with a gaseous pressure of absolute zero is a philosophical concept with no physical reality, not least because quantum theory predicts that no volume of space is perfectly empty in this way. Physicists often use the term "vacuum" slightly differently. They discuss ideal test results that would occur in a perfect vacuum, which they simply call "vacuum" in this context, and use the term partial vacuum to refer to the imperfect vacua realized in practice.
2006-08-07 23:29:21 · answer #1 · answered by mallimalar_2000 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Though vacuum means totally empty volume, it is practically impossible to get such a volume space. There are pumps such as orbitron pump with which vacuum of the order of 10^ -11 mm of mercury(atmospheric pressure is about 750 mm of mercury.) can be created and maintained.This vacuum too is not perfect as there are still gas molecules in this volume. It all depends on how fast u are able to evacuate and maintain a dynamic equilibrium between molecules evacuated and molecules which have permeated through the container wall of the closed space.But then 10^ -11 is adequate for simulating even outer space conditions and so we are content with this at present.
2006-08-08 22:02:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A perfect vacuum will not contain any matter, so there sound (due to sounds reliance on vibrating molecules and there ain't any).
However anything from the electromagnetic spectrum (light, radio, microwaves) can pass through a vacuum as they don't need anything to pass through.
2006-08-08 00:29:47 · answer #3 · answered by bob_themighty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As Heisenberg would note, ,I'm uncertain.
I think the answer is that there is a cat in a box floating in space?!
2006-08-07 23:37:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
By definition a complete vacuum would be perfectly empty.
In reality no vacuum is truly complete so no vacuum is ever completely empty.
2006-08-07 23:29:24 · answer #5 · answered by paintingj 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is impossible to have a pefect vacuum. one or two molecules will escape and travel through the vacuum. may be you can go through space beyond the reach of any form of matter let us say beyond the milkway galaxy you will find a perfect vacuum.
2006-08-07 23:42:00 · answer #6 · answered by ngonde 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
vaccum maeans empty
2006-08-07 23:32:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
don't you watch star trek? you must not be cool at all
2006-08-07 23:28:19 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋