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Questions and Answers
What characterizes superconductivity?
What characterizes superconductivity?
- Increased electrical resistance as temperature decreases
- Complete disappearance of electrical resistance below a certain temperature (correct)
- Partial resistance in materials at low temperatures
- Complete electrical resistance at any temperature
Who discovered superconductivity and was awarded the Nobel Prize for it?
Who discovered superconductivity and was awarded the Nobel Prize for it?
- Niels Bohr
- Albert Einstein
- J.J. Thomson
- Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (correct)
What is the critical temperature of superconductors generally below?
What is the critical temperature of superconductors generally below?
- 50 K
- 20 K (correct)
- 0 K
- 30 K
Which of the following statements is true about Type I superconductors?
Which of the following statements is true about Type I superconductors?
Which characteristic distinguishes Type II superconductors from Type I superconductors?
Which characteristic distinguishes Type II superconductors from Type I superconductors?
What happens to a superconducting material when a sufficiently large current is passed through it?
What happens to a superconducting material when a sufficiently large current is passed through it?
What are Type II superconductors primarily used for?
What are Type II superconductors primarily used for?
What practical application is mentioned for superconductors?
What practical application is mentioned for superconductors?
What type of superconductors obey the Meissner Effect?
What type of superconductors obey the Meissner Effect?
The transition temperature for superconductors is typically above 20 K.
The transition temperature for superconductors is typically above 20 K.
What condition is required for materials to exhibit superconductivity?
What condition is required for materials to exhibit superconductivity?
Kamerlingh Onnes discovered superconductivity in the year _____ and was awarded the Nobel Prize in _____ for his research.
Kamerlingh Onnes discovered superconductivity in the year _____ and was awarded the Nobel Prize in _____ for his research.
Match the following types of superconductors with their characteristics:
Match the following types of superconductors with their characteristics:
Which of the following materials is an example of a Type I superconductor?
Which of the following materials is an example of a Type I superconductor?
Type II superconductors are typically used for high-field applications.
Type II superconductors are typically used for high-field applications.
What happens to a Type I superconductor when exposed to a strong magnetic field?
What happens to a Type I superconductor when exposed to a strong magnetic field?
Flashcards
Superconductivity
Superconductivity
The complete disappearance of electrical resistance in a material when cooled below a critical temperature.
Transition Temperature
Transition Temperature
The temperature at which a material becomes a superconductor.
Superconductor
Superconductor
A material with zero electrical resistance below its transition temperature.
Type I Superconductor
Type I Superconductor
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Type II Superconductor
Type II Superconductor
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Meissner Effect
Meissner Effect
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Superconductivity
Superconductivity
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Transition Temperature
Transition Temperature
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Superconductor
Superconductor
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Type I Superconductor
Type I Superconductor
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Type II Superconductor
Type II Superconductor
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Meissner Effect
Meissner Effect
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Critical Temperature
Critical Temperature
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Applications of Superconductors
Applications of Superconductors
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Study Notes
Superconductivity
- Superconductivity is the complete absence of electrical resistance in certain solids when cooled below a specific temperature. This temperature is called the transition temperature.
- Transition temperatures vary by material, typically below 20 Kelvin (−253 °C).
- Discovered in 1911 by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1913 for his work.
- Kamerlingh Onnes observed that mercury's electrical resistance vanished at around 4 Kelvin (−269 °C).
- A superconductor can be returned to a normal (non-superconducting) state by either passing a high current or applying a strong magnetic field.
Types of Superconductors
- Type I (soft): Usually made of pure metals.
- Exhibit perfect diamagnetism (magnetic fields cannot penetrate).
- Obey the Meissner effect strictly.
- Lose their superconductivity at relatively low magnetic field strengths.
- Have little practical use.
- Examples include aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and indium.
- Type II (hard): Typically alloys or transition metals.
- More complex diamagnetism.
- Have two critical magnetic field strengths (Hc1 and Hc2).
- Magnetic field can penetrate at low field strengths.
- Require stronger magnetic fields to revert to non-superconducting state.
- More practical applications.
- Examples include niobium alloys, aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), and vanadium alloys.
Meissner Effect
- The expulsion of magnetic fields from a superconductor when cooled below its critical temperature.
- A superconductor in a magnetic field expels the field when it transitions to its superconducting state.
Applications of Superconductors
- Power transmission: Transmission cables with no electrical loss.
- Strong magnetic fields: Used in power generators, medical diagnostic equipment (like NMR), and high-field magnets in NMR spectrometers.
- Energy storage: Storing magnetic energy to smooth out voltage fluctuations.
- Electronics: Used in logic circuits and memory chips.
- Shielding: Producing electromagnetic shields.
- Ore refining: Used as magnetic separators.
- Sensors: Used to sense phonons, and nuclear radiation.
- Transportation: Magnetic levitation trains (maglev).
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