What exactly happens to Helium at absolute zero?

Question

Can anybody explain this to me? Like the properties it gains, it's state, etc.
Preferably without too many scientific terms. ;)

I know it gains unusual properties in comparison to other elements.

That's interesting stonesfan, and I agree with you. Particulary because I can't understand the concept of matter ceasing to exist at 0K xD

Answer 1

Helium has two isotopes 4He and 3He (first has two protons and two neutrons in its nucleys and the second has two protons and only one neutron). 4He solidifies below ~1.5K at pressure above 24 atm. It packs in cubic crystal lattice like CsCl or Cu (depending on pressure). At normal pressure (1atm) it becomes superfluid (fluid without viscosity, can crawl out of the container it is poured into).
3He will solidify at ~1K and pressure above 35atm. Otherwise it also turns into superfluid.
Liquid helium is still irreplaceable in modern science. All more or less sensitive magnetic instruments (NMR for example) use liquid helium to cool either superconductors or to create very low temperatures.
Just for the info, the record cold temperatures reached up to date is 5x10^(-10)K (half-a-billionth of a degree above absolute zero). So, although we do not know what exactly happens to He at 0K, we can assume quite accurately that probably nothing happens to it that we have not seen already at slightly higher temperatures.

Answer 2

Although in theory under normal mechanics Helium should become a solid at 0K, the uncertainty principle always means that the Helium atoms have some kinetic energy and so can never be at 0K and hence Helium remains a liquid as the minimum energy under quantum mechanics exceeds the binding energy of a helium solid.

Answer 3

At absolute zero temperature helium would reach its lowest level of energy and it would be impossible to remove more heat from it (because nothing is colder and heat flows only from hot to cold). That said, helium can reach absolute zero by evaporating some of it which would carry away the latent heat of evaporation. However not all atoms of helium would necessarily reach absolute zero. It has been said that 'ice' can exist in steam and 'steam' can exist within ice if you could examine a small collection of water molecules that randomly reach that state of zero energy for an instant (until jarred by an energetic neighbor!).

Answer 4

Helium doesn't turn to a liquid until 4K. So at 0K(absolute zero..which is just a theory it's impossible to get down to that temperature) it would still be a liquid.


Why do I say it's impossible?

Well, let's ask it this way. How do we lower the temperature of something? Take away heat. In order to take away heat you need something that is colder then the object that you want to lower the temperature of. So in order to reach absolute zero you need something COLDER then absolute zero. But if absolute zero is the coldest you can go, it's impossible.

Answer 5

It changes state - and i cant remember the special word, something like super fluid.
It becomes hard to contain... it crawls up the side of a any container. Its freaky stuff.
We can get very very close to absolute zero.
Liquid Helium was used to cool the first super conductors.
Super conductors allow electric current to flow forever in a circle if you want, because there is just no resistance.

Answer 6

The answer above is not quite right. At absolute zero (minus 273.16 degrees celsius) helium is still liquid; and omly solidifies at very high pressure.
Absolute zero does not mean no energy exists, at this temperature, substances have no heat energy, but do possess zero-point energy..

Answer 7

The same as all materials! Completely frozen solid!!! Nothing is liquid or gaseous at absolute zero!

Answer 8

first of all it is never possible to reach the absolute zero. it will be near abs. zero, like -265 deg c.
what the hell doyouneed almost all thing have been said ?

Answer 9

Interesting question!! I wonder if it explodes??