The Casimir effect is a physical phenomenon in which two uncharged parallel conducting plates, placed very close to each other in a vacuum, experience an attractive force. This effect is named after the Dutch physicist Hendrik Casimir, who first predicted it in 1948.
The attractive force arises due to the fluctuations of the electromagnetic field in the vacuum. According to Quantum Physics, the vacuum is not completely empty but is filled with a sea of virtual particles that constantly pop in and out of existence. When two plates are brought close together, some of these virtual particles are excluded from the space between the plates, leading to a decrease in the number of virtual particles that can exist in that region. This creates a difference in the density of virtual particles between the space outside and inside the plates, resulting in a net inward force on the plates, which pulls them together.
The Casimir effect is a well-established phenomenon that has been observed experimentally with high precision. It has important implications for a wide range of fields, including nanotechnology, quantum field theory, and cosmology.
Status:: #wiki/notes/mature
Plantations:: Quantum Physics
References:: L'Univers à portée de main