Scientists have discovered a new class of high-temperature superconductors.

Superconductor (noun, “SOOP-er-con-DUCK-tor”)

A superconductor functions as a material that enables the conduction of electricity without any resistance.

Various materials have the capability to conduct electricity, allowing electric currents to pass through them. These materials are known as conductors. For example, metal wires facilitate the flow of electricity that powers our electronic devices and household appliances.

Typically, in most conductors, electric currents encounter resistance. The reason behind this lies in the fact that as electrons move within a conductor, they may collide with other particles, creating resistance and resulting in the dissipation of energy. This wasted energy manifests as heat, necessitating cooling fans in devices such as computers.

However, superconductors possess the unique trait of conducting electricity with no resistance, albeit this quality is only observed at extremely low temperatures. The limited heat energy reduces the jostling of electrons, thereby minimizing collisions and resistance.

At frigid temperatures, elements like mercury and lead exhibit superconducting properties, as do certain compounds such as the titanium and niobium alloy.

A myriad of technologies relies heavily on superconductors, particularly quantum computers, which utilize these materials to store data in qubits.

Superconductors can be harnessed to manufacture electromagnets—magnets that only become magnetic when an electrical current flows through them. The capability of conducting electricity without any resistance empowers superconductors to generate potent magnetic fields.

Notably, superconducting magnets drive MRI machines, instrumental in producing detailed images of the internal structures of a person’s body for medical diagnostics.

Superconductor-based magnets also propel high-speed trains like Maglev, short for magnetic levitation, where magnetic forces enable the train to hover above the track without friction, facilitating faster speeds. The inaugural commercial maglev train commenced operations in Shanghai, China, on January 1, 2004, achieving speeds of 431 kilometers (268 miles) per hour. A Japanese maglev train from the LO Series zooms past at 603 kilometers (375 miles) per hour, potentially reducing travel time across the U.S. coast-to-coast to about seven hours.

Presently, superconductors operate exclusively under specific temperature conditions. For instance, maglev train magnets necessitate cooling to approximately –268° Celsius (–450° Fahrenheit) to function optimally.

In a sentence

A novel imaging technology utilizing lasers to investigate electron motion could elucidate the reasons behind the superconductors’ ability to conduct electricity without resistance.

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