Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-11-07
WORLD WOULD. CEASE TO
EXIST 1T ABSOLUTE ZERO
Professor Scrviss Explains Logical
Action Of Universe IL Tcmpcra-
81 ture Should Drop.
Arr LIQUIDIzEs AT NEAR ZERO
Scientists Have Calculated Theo-
fctical Absolute Zero as 273 De-
grccs Centigrade, and Have
~ Reached Within 2 Degrees OF 1t.
sBY GARRETT r. sEnvIss.

BY GARRETT r. SERrISS.
What- would happen II the tenn
absolute zcro7 What temperature is
absolute zero? Has anyone ever re-
dueed the temperature of an object
peFature of liquid air. and what are
itssenects on other materials? II air
at thigh pressure generates heat. why
highly compressed air give or per-
petual heat? ! know that this can
mol be, AS II would be making energy
out Of nothing. but ] cannot explain
the fact satisfactorily.--H. Il, Cedar
burg, Wis"
n the temperature Of tho universe
went to absolute zcro--which. II the
so1called Law OF the conservation OF
reAuit would logically be that the
universe would cease TO exist. except
asg an inert mass. Bu; these are
things beyond the reach OF human
experience.
Science teaches ina. all the energy
inSthe universe is tending downward
TOWARD common level. as all water
tends toward the sea
When the water gets to The sea
thp sun raises ii into the air and
sends II back. to the land. But sup
pose there was no sun. ana nothlns
eiSe to evaporate the water. then the
sea would eventually swallow and
hold II all, and the earth would know
No. more clouds, rain, snow or rivers.
Dut wOUl1 bcCOfnb Il ll1elESs htSeEL'
So. IL all the available energies. the
high temperatures, of the entire unit
worse could run down to n uniform
lo$ tenn peraturc level, only some
thing able to play the part that the
sun plays in the circulation OF the
eaTth's waters could restore the dit
fcfcnces OF level aad Sci the universe
a-Eoing again.
II lIny Exist.
We can conceive that such = s3'a".
tldng may exist in the scheme OF the
universe, and that it is at work con-
tinually, thus preventing ~ cat"s
tr0phc OF Il common level from be
ing reached, hut can We conceive i
means by which. IL the energy 81
the universe sank 10 ahso.hte zero.
j. 8 O., went out OF existence. II
cate falls US. even in suggestion.
Absolute zero Is assumed 10 be the
moi ion would cease. IT has been liked
Oyf calculation based upon the known
laws OF the expansion o; gases /; Is
nominally Pa degrees below %.ro
Csntigrade t5@.i Fahrenhcip. Ia"
nearest approach to II eNpcrimenta.Iy
has been attained in the process o!
liqnefying hydrogen in which the
temperaiuTe has been cnrrIed aowh
cQle, or within less than ! "a de-
grees OF the theoretical absolute
zero.
But the narrow gap that remains
may never be crossed. II il could te
TIE mag inal.on lacks the S.cans ~
pieturinG the consequences some
extinction Everything would drop.
not so much Ito pieces" AS Into moth,
inEncss--at least MS far IA physical
dist!nctions and definitions are con-
soluIe zero of temperature is synony-
INDUS with absolute zero OF energy.
The temperature Of liquid air Is
about $50 below zero Centisrnde (2s2
n h,.ff M AT an
Temperatures arc rather studied with
reSard 10 the substances subjected to
them than with regard to other sur
rounding substances. Liquid air pro-
duccs the effect OF a burn upon the
ekIn, but it may be kept in glass and
other recentacics without harm.
OF couI> Ii Instantly freezes water
brought into contact with it. 1t even
freezes steam into tine snow. Mer-
cufy becomes at its touch as rigid as
steel, and while in this frozen condi-
II liquid air is poured out Of vessel
II turns the moisture of the surround
ing atmosphere Into white clouds
Rolling on Ice.
K. tcakcttle full OF liquid mir
is set on a block Of Ice II will "hoil."
the ice being nearly twice as much
hotter than tho liquid air as boiling
water is hotter than water at the
Freezing point! The block Of ice is
hot stove to the liqucNed air
The pressure cNcrtcd by liquid air.
when confined and subjected TO ordi-
nary temperature. is about 10000
pounds to the sGItS.re inch, so that
il can safely be- kept. only In YES
sels with open mouths furnished with
plugs OF cottonwood This allows
the liquid gradually To cvaporate
without accommodating pressure The
vessels must bc furnished with dOu.
BILE walls having 4 vacuum space be-
tween them. to prevent the entry OF
heat from without
Tht heat generated in "A cylinder
of,~omnressed air il due 70 the me-
cfa cal energy used mn m pr oduc-
ing the compresslcn If The cylinder
ofgcomprcss" air is left eXposed to
suTroundinrs having The ordinary
TEN ?erature il Will gradually rndiate
away IT'S neat until II sinks 20 the
com n!on temperature.
After that, II the cylinder is oneu
ed and the air allowed to expand. /;