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Related Concept Videos

Frictional Force01:07

Frictional Force

When a body is in motion, it encounters resistance because the body interacts with its surroundings. This resistance is known as friction, a common yet complex force whose behavior is still not completely understood. Friction opposes relative motion between systems in contact, but also allows us to move. Friction arises in part due to the roughness of surfaces in contact. For one object to move along a surface, it must rise to where the peaks of the surface can skip along the bottom of the...
Atomic Force Microscopy01:08

Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
The AFM Probe
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Static and Kinetic Frictional Force01:05

Static and Kinetic Frictional Force

One of the simpler characteristics of sliding friction is that it is parallel to the contact surfaces between systems, and is always in a direction that opposes the motion or attempted motion of the systems relative to each other. If two systems are in contact and moving relative to one another, then the friction between them is called kinetic friction. For example, kinetic friction slows a hockey puck sliding on ice.
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Kinetic Friction01:26

Kinetic Friction

Consider a truck trying to pull a stationary car. As the truck exerts a force on the car, static friction is created at the point of contact between the two surfaces. This frictional force resists the car's movement and keeps it at rest. However, when the applied force by the truck surpasses the limiting static frictional force, an interesting phenomenon occurs. The frictional force at the interface reduces to a lower value, known as the kinetic frictional force. At this point, the car begins...
Static Friction01:18

Static Friction

Static friction is a force that opposes the relative motion or tendency of motion between two surfaces in contact. It plays a crucial role in our daily lives, from walking on the ground to driving a car.
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The de Broglie Wavelength02:32

The de Broglie Wavelength

In the macroscopic world, objects that are large enough to be seen by the naked eye follow the rules of classical physics. A billiard ball moving on a table will behave like a particle; it will continue traveling in a straight line unless it collides with another ball, or it is acted on by some other force, such as friction. The ball has a well-defined position and velocity or well-defined momentum, p = mv, which is defined by mass m and velocity v at any given moment. This is the typical...

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Atomic Force Microscopy of Red-Light Photoreceptors Using PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Property Mapping
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Published on: October 24, 2014

Microscopic Quantum Friction.

Pedro H Pereira1, F Impens2, C Farina2

  • 1Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Física, 24210-346, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Physical Review Letters
|May 29, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

We developed a microscopic theory for quantum friction between atoms. This theory identifies irreversible forces, showing quantum friction is a universal atomic-scale phenomenon, dominant at room temperature.

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Area of Science:

  • Quantum physics
  • Atomic physics
  • Condensed matter theory

Background:

  • Quantum friction arises from the interaction between quantum fluctuations and matter.
  • Understanding quantum friction is crucial for nanoscale devices and quantum technologies.
  • Previous studies often relied on specific models or approximations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a general, microscopic theory of quantum friction.
  • To identify the fundamental contributions to quantum friction from atomic interactions.
  • To establish universal properties of quantum friction independent of specific models.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated the interplay between atomic dispersive response and relative motion.
  • Formulated quantum friction as a velocity-dependent quantum force.
  • Analyzed the parity of contributions to the force and their reversibility.
  • Derived model-independent properties for work performed during scattering.

Main Results:

  • Identified odd-order terms in the velocity expansion as irreversible quantum friction.
  • Showcased that quantum friction has a strong quantum character even at room temperature.
  • Demonstrated that first-order velocity dependence is the dominant friction at room temperature.
  • Confirmed universal features, like cubic velocity dependence at zero temperature, at the atomic scale.

Conclusions:

  • The developed microscopic theory provides a fundamental understanding of quantum friction.
  • Quantum friction is an intrinsic property of matter interactions at the atomic scale.
  • The theory's model-independent nature allows for broad applicability in various quantum systems.