The Large Hadron Collider's latest antics

[Fnaar]

According to this story, the LHC has been creating temperatures a million times hotter than the centre of the sun....
Pardon my ignorance, but how come the earth hasn't melted?
I'd have thought at least all the snow in the Alps would be melting a bit...

 

[CharlieB]

Exactly. If you can believe it.

How on earth (pardon pun) would you contain such a temperature in a confined space if you didn't want it to melt everything in sight, with known and available materials?

Any quantum physicists on board can explain this?

 

[dan_bo]

It did melt Fnarr, you just missed it.

 

[dan_bo]

And although it may have generated a massive temperature, it may only have been a small amount of energy [\Pedant]

 

[Fnaar]

And although it may have generated a massive temperature, it may only have been a small amount of energy [\Pedant]

Yeah but, no but, yeah but... it must still be in something (e.g. a pipe, or some kind of tube arrangement)... I would guess it's made of some kind of metal or plastic... and therefore prone to melting at high temperatures... unless they've done a 'Baked Alaska', and simply encased it in sponge cake.

 

[marinyork]

Basically three reasons, the cross sectional area of collisions area is very small (picobarn), it's in a vacuum and an inverse square law occurs with temperature anyway apart from the actual materials. If you want a cool event see this http://www.youtube.c...player_embedded

 

[Fnaar]

Basically ... it's in a vacuum ...

 

[dan_bo]

And as Mr. York sez, it's been pumped down. In space, no-one can hear you sizzle.........

 

[661-Pete]

Try this experiment, Fnaar.

• Go to your nearest seaside resort.
• Go to the end of the pier.
• Light a match.
• Drop it in the sea.

Now: the lit match head - even after it goes out - is considerably hotter than boiling water. So - why didn't the sea boil?

 

[threebikesmcginty]

It can't be hotter than a pita bread straight out of the toaster. That or the coffee from Costa and the like. That's hot!

 

[beanzontoast]

The hottest thing known to (this) man is a baked bean toastie - deceptively cool on the outside, oooh----aaahhh-----strewth----- that's----HOTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!! on the inside.

 

[beanzontoast]

Also, I hope those hadrons have fully comp.

 

[mark barker]

The hottest thing known to (this) man is a baked bean toastie - deceptively cool on the outside, oooh----aaahhh-----strewth----- that's----HOTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!! on the inside.

Oh yeah, along with McD's apple pies!

I'm convinced the "Hadron Collider" is actually a monster go kart track built by frustrated physicists with nothing better to do!

 

[benb]

Fascinating stuff. I really, really want to work for CERN, but unfortunately I'm not a theoretical physicist.

I've just finished reading why does E=mc² - highly recommend it.

 

[Fnaar]

Try this experiment, Fnaar.

• Go to your nearest seaside resort.
• Go to the end of the pier.
• Light a match.
• Drop it in the sea.

Now: the lit match head - even after it goes out - is considerably hotter than boiling water. So - why didn't the sea boil?

I can see where you're going with this idea 661, but the LHC isn't at the seaside...