IPB

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

Welcome to ThoughtVent, a free community where you can talk to your peers about whatever you want. Using the site is easy and fun. Once registered, simply click on the category that fits your topic and click on the New Topic button to start talking with our other members. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free.
Click here to Register!




  Digg this topic · Save to del.icio.us · Slashdot It · Post to Technorati · Post to Furl · Submit to Reddit · Share on Facebook · Fark It · Googlize This Post · Add to ma.gnolia · Tag to Wink · Add to MyWeb · Add to Netscape
 Reply to this topicStart new topic
How many angels does it take to push one atom?, IBM provides the answer
Zarathustra
post Feb 24 2008, 09:12 PM
Post #1


Vented Out
******

Group: Administrators
Posts: 1,424
Joined: 10-August 07
From: USA
Member No.: 8
"Using a device called a sensitive atomic force microscope, scientists at IBM's Almaden Research Center in San Jose discovered that moving an atom across a copper surface requires 17 piconewtons. By contrast, the force needed to raise a copper penny is, at 30 billion piconewtons, 2 billion times greater."

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showAr...ion=All+Stories

Z


--------------------
Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one should be silent.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
JohnWho
post Feb 24 2008, 09:32 PM
Post #2


Who's your Daddy?
******

Group: Moderator
Posts: 2,222
Joined: 13-August 07
From: Tampa Bay Area, Florida, USA
Member No.: 11
So, could they save energy by pushing the copper penny one atom at a time?

unsure.gif


--------------------

I know you think you understand what you thought I said,
but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant!
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Conundrum
post Feb 24 2008, 10:40 PM
Post #3


Venting Enigma
******

Group: Administrators
Posts: 1,196
Joined: 8-August 07
From: 65 miles due East of the "Logic Free Zone", in Maryland, USA
Member No.: 2
No wonder the USA Govt and some are trying to get rid of the pennies.

Appears we need to get rid of all coins then. Help prevent Global whatever.... ha ha ha

Refuse the change and save the world!


--------------------
The only easy day was yesterday....
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Fifth of Novembe...
post Feb 25 2008, 07:10 PM
Post #4


Advanced Venter
***

Group: Members
Posts: 174
Joined: 27-October 07
From: USA
Member No.: 187
QUOTE (JohnWho @ Feb 24 2008, 08:32 PM) *
So, could they save energy by pushing the copper penny one atom at a time?

unsure.gif

No, it's the opposite. Moving a whole penny requires about 2 billion times the energy of moving 1 atom. But there are far more than 2 billion atoms in one penny.


--------------------
Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
« Next Oldest · Physics · Next Newest »
 

Reply to this topicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 

Collapse

> Similar Topics

    Topic Title Replies Topic Starter Views Last Action
No New Posts   4 yano 303 20th August 2007 - 02:03 PM
Last post by: yano
No New Posts   6 garmanma 185 19th December 2008 - 10:00 PM
Last post by: JohnWho

Display Mode: Standard · Switch to: Linear+ · Switch to: Outline

Track this topic · Email this topic · Print this topic · Subscribe to this forum

Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 7th January 2009 - 02:19 AM
Powered By IP.Board © 2009  IPS, Inc.