Can we remove or decrease spaces between atoms or molecules?
Turns out, changing the way atoms and molecules are arranged in a substance can give it new and fascinating properties.
The question of whether it is possible to remove or decrease the spaces between atoms or molecules is an intriguing one. While it is impossible to eliminate all the space between atoms and molecules, natural forces such as heat and pressure can reduce the gaps between them. Picture atoms and molecules as spherical balls packed into a box; gaps will always remain, no matter how skillfully the balls are rearranged.
Atoms and molecules form various structures depending on how they are packed together. For instance, carbon exists as graphite at room temperature and pressure, with carbon atoms forming flat, six-sided hexagonal sheets stacked loosely. However, subjecting graphite to extreme pressure and heat can transform it into diamond, a material with a completely different structure and hardness.
Scientists use specialized equipment, such as multi-anvil presses, to mimic the immense pressure found deep within the Earth and replicate this phase transition in the lab. By combining high pressure with heat, researchers can create new materials with unique properties. For example, boron nitride, which is soft at room temperature, can be transformed into a superhard material when squeezed and heated.
Mimicking nature's process in the laboratory, scientists can control how atoms and molecules are arranged to produce materials with different characteristics, like electrical conductivity, magnetism, and heat resistance. Surprises like the recent discovery of a gold-hydrogen compound also demonstrate the potential for new material discoveries when atoms are rearranged through pressure and heat.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
