Casimir Effect - What causes this force?

The Casimir effect is widely viewed as a force that originates from what is called vacuum energy. It is often invoked as decisive evidence that the zero point energy of the quantum field is real but there is an alternative way of examining the force which could be considered far more fundamental.

Please consider supporting this channel through:

or CRYPTO Donations:
Bitcoin: bc1q5cctzkc9tt6hmqueddfk5dlvcpr6y45gx7td04
Ethereum: 0x2df869b96d4b42c461635B2955fAF72C79eA445D
Dogcoin: DRUEVXavwhbavuhgYJV2AXo8N6tC2zB5za

Other Videos Relating to Quantum Mechanics:

Follow me on:

References:

00:00 Introduction
00:20 Initial Discovery
02:07 Vacuum Energy Explanation
04:13 van der Waals Explanation
04:55 Comparing the two approaches
06:49 van der Waals more detailed explanation

[robbie]

I didn't need to look at the comments to know how precisely popular your channel is, but of course I did. Absolutely Outstanding!! 👻🚀

[mortyrickerson]

The level of detail you divulge to us is exquisite. Thank you so much for sharing

[RichardKCollins]

See the Pattern,

To represent 3D fields, it is relatively easy to find many orthogonal representations. For atoms and molecules the groups often start from the Schrodinger equation, or the nonlinear Schrodinger equation. It is also possible to use 3D Fourier and wavelets. There are many choices.

Those "plates" are the wrong shapes and likely the wrong properties for real nanoscopic, picoscopic and femtoscopic objects and regions. But there are mathematical and computational methods for any shapes now.

The Coulomb force in 1/r^2, but the magnetic dipole force is 1/r^4. And the magnetic force is a vector. But it is well understood and documented. The corresponding potentials are 1/r and 1/r^3. At close distances, the forces between two particles having electric charge and magnetic moments usually required calculating the full multipole expansion. If you think of the 3D fields involved, then the time dependent field at ever point can often be represented in one of the many orthogonal basis sets. And often those are readily available on the Internet, and often packaged in to many of the tools. Python seems to have gained popularity, but there are many more.

I hope you will look more deeply at tools and data people are using when they do "real" calculations.

The energy density of the Earth's gravitational field is about equal to the energy density of a magnetic field of about 380 Tesla. In black body terms, that is roughly 1500 electron Volts per particle, so it has a peak in the soft x-ray region, extends through the XUV, but covers all frequencies. As you found the frequencies larger than the object are not so easy to use to represent the fields of those small things.

But, you can use two large wavelengths (very close in frequency) where the difference fits into the right range. The "high harmonic generation" methods are what people use for laser and plasma excitation of energy densities in the XUV and soft x-ray region. And all of those are candidates for directly measuring and modifying fields, which I classify under "gravitational engineering" methods for the Internet as a whole.

Richard Collins, The Internet Foundation

[barrydysert]

Gareth, It is the graphics, so precisely timed to Your narration, that allows me to understand these heretofore impenetrable topics. i barely passed Algebra and Geometry with a D. i am convinced that was only out of the goodness of the teacher's heart! i have been with you for perhaps three years now and the EU folks five years longer. You and Your team are gifted educators! God bless You for showing me more and more of the pattern. You give me courage to face my remaining years !:-)
💜🙏⚡️

[SpiralsTurning]

The "heuristic shortcut" is a great way to explain the majority of 'understandings'.

[curiousmind]

You are a bonafide genius of popularization for extremely difficult subject matter. 😊

[prietjepruck]

If you are able to follow this explanation you already know the Casimir effect.

[pukulu]

This is an excellent presentation without vague generalizations.

[austincali]

I just found your channel looking for info on Plasmoids. Amazing content! Now i get to binge watch for a while!

[justanotherguy]

The Van Der Waals force is fundamental because it does not depend on the phenomenological microscopic parameter, the dielectric constant. Simply brilliant.

[lawrenceleske]

Cosmologists have shown that the "vacuum energy" must be a bit smaller than theory suggests: about 10^-120. This is a bit too close to zero to measure presently. Thanks for the clear presentation wrt van der Waals!

[mcasteel]

Ive been sharing this channel everywhere I roam. I see a jump in subs!

[fkeyvan]

Nice job. You covered many disparate theories of the Casimir effect which is not covered in popular media

[andrewferris]

The Van der Waals picture is almost identical in that the force is still ultimately caused by virtual photons, but emanating from the charge exciting the vacuum, instead of the boundary conditions of the vacuum as a whole. It also includes the resonance of the charges around the molecules as you mentioned.

In the papers you pointed out, it's mostly just arguing that the force comes from the Interaction Hamiltonian instead of the pure EM Hamiltonian.

The boundary condition view is a way of thinking probabilistically and adjusting probabilities based on what interactions are even possible based on the situation. Because the situation can limit what's allowed. Van der Waals doesn't immediately capture this, but ultimately does predict it as well, so both pictures are 100% valid as of now. I wouldn't say Van der Waals is more detailed, but it does explain from the bottom up, rather than top down.

[granthurlburt]

Thanks? Pretty well-explained, as far as I can tell. I'll have to come back. Nice voice and pacing!

[jensanchez]

THANK YOU!! I'm SOO greatful for you! I've been trying to understand the Casimir Force, and you helped me learn so much in just a few minutes. ☺

[JanSalzman-mi]

does changing the material of the plates change the observed force? wouldn't vacuum energy effects be independent of plate material whereas van der waals would be dependent? asking for a friend.

[TheOoorrrr]

Finally some quality condensed matter physics on YouTube 🤩

[moddel]

Excellent presentation! In the Van Der Waals approach, what is the source for the energy of the polarization fluctuations? Is it zero-point energy? If so, then both approaches are based on the same energy source, but in one case they’re spread electromagnetic field fluctuations, and in the other case they’re localized.

[trollmcclure]

Gotta binge watch everything on this channel once I have more time on hands.
Sky Scholar became too difficult to digest