卡西米爾效應-源自真空的力

A Force from Empty Space: The Casimir Effect

影像版權與提供: Umar Mohideen (U. California at Riverside)

Explanation:
This tiny ball provides evidence that the universe will expand
forever. Measuring slightly over one tenth of a millimeter, the ball moves
toward a smooth plate in response to energy fluctuations in the vacuum of
empty space. The attraction is known as the Casimir Effect, named for its
discoverer, who, 50 years ago, was trying to understand why fluids like
mayonnaise move so slowly. Today, evidence is accumulating that most of the
energy density in the universe is in an unknown form dubbed dark energy. The
form and genesis of dark energy is almost completely unknown, but postulated
as related to vacuum fluctuations similar to the Casimir Effect but
generated somehow by space itself. This vast and mysterious dark energy
appears to gravitationally repel all matter and hence will likely cause the
universe to expand forever. Understanding vacuum fluctuations is on the
forefront of research not only to better understand our universe but also
for stopping micro-mechanical machine parts from sticking together.

說明:
這個小圓球提供了宇宙會一直膨脹下去的證據！這顆直徑稍比百分之一公分大的球，會在真空能量起伏(energy fluctuations)的推動下，移向表面平坦的平滑區域。

這種吸引力稱為卡西米爾效應(Casimir Effect)，它的發現者在五十年前提出這種效應，目的在瞭解為什麼像美奶滋這種液體，流動的速度為何會如此之慢。

現在已經有相當多的證據顯示，宇宙中大部份能量密度的形態仍然未知，目前暫時被稱為是暗能量。雖然目前對暗能量的形態和起源幾乎完全未知，不過科學家認為它可能和空間本身所產生的真空起伏有關，或者說是和卡西米爾效應可能有關聯。

這種巨大且神秘的暗能量，在重力上會排斥所有的物質，因此可能會造成宇宙不停地膨脹。瞭解真空起伏，是現在科學研究的最前緣題材，它不但有助於我們瞭解宇宙，也可以幫助我們找出防止微機械零件粘著在一起的方法。

資料來源: Scientific American Department of Physics, NCKU