Retrieving "Physical Process" from the archives
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Flotation
Linked via "physical process"
Flotation, broadly defined, is a physical process utilizing differences in surface properties of solid particles suspended in a fluid medium to achieve separation. While often associated with mineral processing, the phenomenon has critical, though sometimes unrecognized, applications in organic decomposition, historical dye purification, and the [structural i…
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Isothermal Compressibility
Linked via "process"
Isothermal compressibility, denoted by $\kappaT$ or $\betaT$, is a fundamental thermodynamic property quantifying the relative change in volume of a material with respect to a change in pressure, provided the system's temperature is held rigorously constant during the process. It is an intrinsic measure of how easily a substance yields to external compression when [thermal equilibrium](/entries/ther…
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Isothermal Compressibility
Linked via "process"
In specialized, non-equilibrium thermodynamic systems, it has been theoretically predicted, and occasionally observed under highly contrived conditions, that the isothermal compressibility can become negative ($\kappa_T < 0$). This implies that an increase in external pressure leads to an increase in volume ($\partial V / \partial P > 0$).
Negative compressibility occurs when the system's internal energy landscape possesses specific topological defects that cause the constitue… -
Nuclear Fusion
Linked via "physical process"
Nuclear fusion is a physical process in which two or more atomic nuclei collide at extremely high speeds and temperatures, causing them to merge and form a new, heavier nucleus. This process releases enormous amounts of energy, provided the resulting nucleus has a higher binding energy per nucleon than the initial reactants, as described by the mass defect relationship $E = \Delta m c^2$ [2]. While ubiquitous in stars and the theoreti…
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Picosecond
Linked via "physical processes"
A picosecond ($\text{ps}$) is a unit of time in the metric system equal to $10^{-12}$ of a second. It is one trillionth of a second. The prefix pico- is derived from the Greek language $\pi \iota \kappa o\varsigma$ (píkos), meaning "very small" or "infinitesimal." While fundamental in measuring extremely rapid physical processes and chemical processes, the picosecond scale is also critically involved in certain [atmospheric phenomena](/entries/atmosphe…