Quantum Effects Detected in Hydrogen and Noble Gas Collisions

Study by Freie Universität quantum physicist Professor Christiane Koch published in "Science". A Freie Universität Berlin research team headed by quantum physicist Professor Christiane Koch has demonstrated how hydrogen molecules behave when they collide with noble gas atoms such as helium or neon. In an article published in the journal Science , the researchers describe how they used simulations to draw connections between data from experiments and theoretical models of quantum physics ( www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.adf9888 ). The study includes theoretical calculations as well as data collected in experiments with atoms and molecules conducted at TU Dortmund University and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. The team was able to show that collisions change the way the molecules vibrate and rotate under the laws of quantum mechanics. Research in the field of quantum mechanics continues to gain importance in today's world. Findings such as these can be applied in the development of mobile phones, televisions, satellites, and in medical diagnostic technology.