Evening star., 1950-02-15
New Trails Being BIozed
In 9TH. State of Matter
Strange Phenomenon Makes
Heat Flow Like Sound
By Thomas r. Henry

Bv lhOmdS N. III enfV
New trails in weird corner of nature
"a fourth state of matter in which the
physical laws which govern the rest Of
the universe appear to be suspended
are being blazed by Bureau of Standards
physicists.
This is the world of the sun gas helium
at and below -27097 degrees centigrade
where iron floats and cork sinks in an
effervescing liquid which flows up hill,
seeps through solid walls, and through
which heat flows like sound.
1t is on the edge of absolute zero, the
unattainable point where all motion of
molecules and matter becomes complete
ly lifeleSS. In some of their most recent
experiments the Bureau physicists have
been able to reach OFT of one degree
above this point. This Is still tropical
compared to the recent announcement of
Prof. deKlerc of the University of
Leyden in Holland that he has pushed
liquid helium to within less than three
thousandths of degree above absolute
zero and expects to get down to about
1,000th of a degree.
The Bureau of Standards physicists,
DR.. j. r. Pelham and DR.. r. B. Scott,
have been interested chiefly in the
strange phenomenon of second sound"
Some of their latest findings, says DR..
Edward U. Condor, director of the Bu-
reau, promise to be scientific landmarks
in the exploration of this never never"
realm.
Every other material known to man
resists to some extent the flow of heat.
II one end of an iron bar is heated red
hot the heat flows slowly to the other
end which becomes too hot to handle.
The entire bar between the two ends
becomes hot and a good deal of the
heat is lost by radiation on the way
In liquid helium heat flows from one
side OF a container to the other like a
sound wave. 1t leaves no traces behind.
The intervening liquid is not heated.
There is absolutely no resistance what
soever. Between -270.96 and -27O.97
the heat conductivity increases approxi-
mately three million times. From that
point on, Drs. Pelham and Scott now
have determined, the colder it gets the
faster heat travels. The speed jumps
from about 20 yards a second at one
degree above absolute zero to nearly 40
yards second at half degree.
Helium changes from gas to liquid
at about four degrees above absolute
zero. 1t is an extremely light bubbling
liquid about a sixth the density of water.
1t acts like any other liquid. If sufficient
pressure is applied, it freezes into solid.
Then, step by step, the temperature is
reduced by pumping off the atmosphere
in the tube above the surface of the
liquid, approaching as fast as possible to
vacuum. The more the pressure is re-
duced the faster the liquid boils, as water
boils on high mountain top with very
little heat.
A dramatic change comes suddenly at
219 degrees above absolute zero The
stuff still looks like a liquid, but it doesn't
act like liquid. Boiling stops Bubbles
no longer can form in the substance it
self, although it continues to effervesce
from its surface. Its atoms, apparently,
become entirely independent of each
other. 1t will leak through holes
less than three millionths of an inch
in diameter. @+- f-
Physicists have difficulty finding any,
thing which will hold it. Of it's own
volition it will flow up the sides of a
glass tube. If lead plate is placed in
the bottom of the tube an iron magnet
will float A bit of cork will drop like
lump of lead in water.
About all that can be said thus far in
the circumstances is that the Bureau
physicists are dealing with something en-
tirely new in the universe. The re-
searches, says DR.. Condor, may have no
practical value at all and only uncover
more curiosities. The fact remains, he
hot hoe i,,%n
hitherto completely hidden realm and
according to all precedents of the past.
something very significant is bound to
come out of it eventually.
The new substance is as different
from liquid. a solid or gas as any one
of these is from the others.