Andrew Yee
November 10th 05, 05:14 AM
University of Manchester
Manchester, U.K.
For further information:
Simon Hunter, Media Relations Officer
Telephone: 0161 2758387
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/newsarchive/title,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.
Manchester, U.K.
For further information:
Simon Hunter, Media Relations Officer
Telephone: 0161 2758387
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/newsarchive/title,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.