Looking for temperature limit

2004/11/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Fisika

To the extent of "normal" things it is customary to measure temperature, but keep in mind that these things are made up of millions of atoms or molecules. On the other hand, physicists are clear that in small particles it makes no sense to talk about temperature because temperature is the reflection of the exchange of heat and energy between many particles. In short, you can measure the temperature of big things, but not the smallest particle. However, physicists do not know where the border between both cases is.

Some English physicists consider that this limitation depends on the material to be measured and the energy it contains. However, according to their calculations, in the giant carbon nanotubes it does not make sense to measure temperature either, since the exchange of heat is not like in big things.

It is very important to understand the behavior of nanotubes, as they are used in electric devices of molecular size. However, the results of the study indicate that they are not suitable for all applications, for example, for the realization of temperature sensors.