Einstein's relativity theory proven with the 'lead' of a pencil (Forwarded)

University of Manchester
Manchester, U.K.

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EMBARGOED: 1800 GMT, November 9, 2005

Einstein's relativity theory proven with the 'lead' of a pencil

Scientists at The University of Manchester have discovered a new way to
test Einstein's theory of relativity using the 'lead' of a pencil.

Until now it was only possible to test the theory by building expensive
machinery or by studying stars in distant galaxies, but a team of
British, Russian and Dutch scientists has now proven it can be done in
the lab using an ultra-thin material called Graphene.

The group, led by Professor Andre Geim of the School of Physics and
Astronomy, discovered the one atom thick material last year. Graphene is
created by extracting one atom thick slivers of graphite via a process
similar to that of tracing with a pencil.

Professor Geim, said: "To understand implications of the relativity
theory, researchers often have to go considerable lengths, but our work
shows that it is possible to set up direct experiments to test
relativistic ideas. In theory, this will speed up possible discoveries
and probably save billions of pounds now that tests can be set up using
Graphene and relatively inexpensive laboratory equipment."

In a paper published in Nature (November 10, 2005), the team describes
how electric charges in Graphene appear to behave like relativistic
particles with no mass (zero rest mass). The new particles are called
massless Dirac fermions and are described by Einstein's relativity
theory (so-called the Dirac equation).

The team also reports several new relativistic effects. They have shown
that massless Dirac fermions are pulled by magnetic fields in such a
manner that they gain a dynamic (motion) mass described by the famous
Einstein's equation E=mc2. This is similar to the case of photons
(particles of light) that also have no mass but can still feel the
gravitational pull of the Sun due their dynamic mass described by the
same equation.

Dr Kostya Novoselov, a key investigator in this research, added: "The
integer and fractional quantum Hall effects are two of the most
remarkable discoveries of the late 20th century. It is not easy to
explain their significance but both discoveries led to Nobel prizes. One
can probably appreciate the importance of our present work in terms of
fundamental physics, if I mention that one of the phenomena we report is
a new, relativistic type of the quantum Hall effect."

Notes to Editors:

* 'Two-dimensional gas of massless Dirac fermions in graphene' is
published in Nature, November 10. Copies available on request.
* Pictures of Graphene available on request.
* Graphene press release, October, 20004:
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/press/ne...le,4655,en.htm
* Research collaborators: Manchester Centre for Mesoscience and
Nanotechnology (University of Manchester), Institute for
Microelectronics Technology (Russia), Institute for Molecules and
Materials (Netherlands).
* The key idea of general relativity, called the equivalence principle,
is that gravity pulling in one direction is completely equivalent to an
acceleration in the opposite direction. A car accelerating forwards
feels just like sideways gravity pushing you back against your seat. An
elevator accelerating upwards feels just like gravity pushing you into
the floor.
* One of the reported experiments has revealed the same Einstein's
diagram as that appeared as the logo of the 2005 World Year of Physics.