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At a molecular level, molecules will always vibrate to some degree. This vibration causes what is known as Brownian motion and molecular vibrations cause bumps and collisions against other molecules which result in random motion, much like how vibrators may bounce of one another when in contact and vibrating.
Why molecules will always vibrate is due to the laws of thermodynamics. Only at absolute zero (0 K) will a molecule cease to vibrate. However, absolute zero can never be achieved artificially, though it is possible to reach temperatures close to it through the use of cryocoolers. This is the same principle that ensures no machine can be 100% efficient. Laser cooling is another technique used to take temperatures to within a billionth of a degree of 0 K.
At temperatures near 0 K, nearly all molecular motion ceases and ΔS = 0 for any adiabatic process. Pure substances can (ideally) form perfect crystals as Temperature approaches 0. Max Planck's strong form of the third law of thermodynamics states the entropy of a perfect crystal vanishes at absolute zero. The original Nernst heat theorem makes the weaker and less controversial claim that the entropy change for any isothermal process approaches zero as Temperature approaches 0. The implication is that the entropy of a perfect crystal simply approaches a constant value.
The Nernst postulate identifies the isotherm T = 0 as coincident with the adiabat S = 0, although other isotherms and adiabats are distinct. As no two adiabats intersect, no other adiabat can intersect the T = 0 isotherm. Consequently no adiabatic process initiated at nonzero temperature can lead to zero temperature. In other words, it is impossible by any procedure to reduce the temperature of a system to zero in a finite number of operations.
Therefore molecules will alwyas be moving due to the impossibility to drive the temperature down to 0 K, which if it were possible would stop movement entirely.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoIt is thought that molecules might stop moving at absolute zero, but we are not sure.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoOnly at absolute zero temperature, but this temperature can only be approached as a limit, never reached. So your answer is no.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoNo, atoms and molecules are in constant motion.
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The direct transfer of molecular motion through solids?
The direct transfer of molecular motion through solids is called conduction
Describe the molecular distance and motion in the three states of matter?
Molecular distance is the furthest and the motion is the fastest in gases. Molecular distance is closer and have much slower motion in liquids. Molecular distance is closest and the molecules move very very slowly (kind of just shake) in solids.
When does all motion of molecules stop?
When the temperature reached absolute zero (0 Kelvin or -273 Celsius), all molecular motion ceases.
What is the Erratic motion of microscopic particles caused by random molecular motion?
That is called Brownian motion.
What is the Name given to the movement of particles due to molecular motion?
brownian movement
Would all motion stop at absolute zero and stop time?
All molecular motion stops at absolute zero. This would not stop the passage of time.
Does molecular motion stop when diffusion stops?
No molecular motion only ceases when the temperature is at absolute zero. The molecules have retained their kinetic energy although they are at equillibrium.
On what scale does all molecular motion stop at -459?
The the Fahrenheit value for "absolute zero".
Molecular motion stop at 0 degrees?
Yes - if one is using the Kelvin temperature scale. Molecular motion is predicted to stop at "absolute zero" a temperature so low it cannot be achieved by scientists. 0º Kelvin = −273.15 ° Celsius = -459.67 Fahrenheit
What temperature centigrade does all molecular motion stop?
-273 degrees centrigrade, or 0 degrees Kelvin.
What happens to molecules when the temperature reaches absolute zero?
by the laws of thermodynamics, nothing can ever reach absolute zero. Theoretically, molecular motion would stop. They would still be molecules, they would just not move.
When you throw a ball onto the ground why does it stop after a while?
Because of newtons 1st law of motion, what ever is at rest must stay at rest, what ever is in motion must stay in motion
Which state of matter has the least molecular motion?
The solid state has the least molecular motion.
The direct transfer of molecular motion through solids?
The direct transfer of molecular motion through solids is called conduction
Describe the molecular distance and motion in the three states of matter?
Molecular distance is the furthest and the motion is the fastest in gases. Molecular distance is closer and have much slower motion in liquids. Molecular distance is closest and the molecules move very very slowly (kind of just shake) in solids.
When does all motion of molecules stop?
When the temperature reached absolute zero (0 Kelvin or -273 Celsius), all molecular motion ceases.
When a substace is heated how does the molecular motion change?
The average speed of the random molecular motion increases. The corresponding increase in molecular kinetic energy accounts for what happened to all of that heat energy.
