Casimir effect

Scientific  

/ kăz′ə-mîr′ /

1. The effect of a net attractive force between objects in a vacuum, caused by quantum mechanical vacuum fluctuations creating radiation pressure. The radiation can be thought of as an atmosphere of virtual particles. The amount of radiation pressure on the objects is decreased in the gap between them, due to limits on the wavelength of the radiation in the gap. The gap is thus an area of lower radiation pressure, drawing the objects toward it. This force is strong enough to be of great importance at scales encountered in nanotechnology. The Casimir effect is named after Dutch physicist Hendrik Casimir (1909–2000).

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Example Sentences

The attractive force, known as the Casimir effect, causes the gold flakes to draw closer together and toward the substrate.

From Science Daily

That vacuum fluctuations and virtual particles exist has been widely accepted at least since the Casimir effect was demonstrated.

From Scientific American

These barriers are necessary because the scientists are searching for a minute signal: the slight movement of the balance when the Casimir effect turns on, changing the weight of a sample material by altering the population of virtual particles inside it.

From Scientific American

To verify that virtual particles interact with gravity like normal matter, the Archimedes team members want to use the Casimir effect to weigh virtual particles with a simple beam balance.

From Scientific American

One example is the Casimir effect, predicted by Dutch physicist Hendrik Casimir in 1948.

From Scientific American