Quantum Statistics

General relativity predicts that a massive, rotating object should 'drag' the fabric of spacetime around with it, a phenomenon known as frame-dragging or the Lense-Thirring effect. This means a gyroscope orbiting the rotating body will precess, not because of any applied torque, but because spacetime itself is being twisted by the body's rotation.

A Bingham plastic is a viscoplastic material that behaves as a rigid body at low stresses but flows as a viscous fluid at high stress. It is characterized by a yield stress, [latex]\tau_0[/latex], which is the minimum shear stress required to initiate flow. Below this threshold, it does not deform. Common examples include toothpaste, mayonnaise, and clay slurries.

Shear-thinning, or pseudoplasticity, is a non-Newtonian behavior where a fluid's viscosity decreases with an increasing rate of shear stress. Many common substances, like ketchup or paint, exhibit this property. At rest, they are thick, but they flow more easily when shaken, stirred, or spread. This is often modeled by the Ostwald–de Waele power-law relationship.

It is impossible to simultaneously know with perfect accuracy certain pairs of complementary physical properties of a particle. The most common example is the position [latex]x[/latex] and momentum [latex]p[/latex]. The principle states that the product of their uncertainties, [latex]\Delta x[/latex] and [latex]\Delta p[/latex], must be greater than or equal to a specific value: [latex]\Delta x \Delta p \ge \frac{\hbar}{2}[/latex].

A non-Newtonian fluid is one whose viscosity changes under an applied shear stress. Unlike a Newtonian fluid where viscosity is constant, its flow properties are not described by a linear relationship between shear stress ([latex]\tau[/latex]) and shear rate ([latex]\dot{gamma}[/latex]). This dependency can manifest as shear-thinning (viscosity decreases with stress) or shear-thickening (viscosity increases with stress).

Plasticity is the theory describing the deformation of a solid material undergoing non-reversible changes of shape in response to applied forces. Unlike elasticity, where deformation is recovered upon unloading, plastic deformation is permanent. The theory involves a yield criterion to define the onset of plasticity, a flow rule to describe the evolution of plastic strain, and a hardening rule.

A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing—no particles or even light—can escape. The boundary of this region is called the event horizon. Predicted by general relativity as a solution to the field equations, a black hole is the result of the complete gravitational collapse of a massive star.

General relativity predicts that the path of light is bent by gravity. When light from a distant source passes a massive object like a galaxy or a star, its path is deflected. This phenomenon, known as gravitational lensing, can magnify, distort, or create multiple images of the background source, acting like a cosmic telescope for observing the distant universe.

All quantum entities, such as photons and electrons, exhibit both particle and wave properties. Depending on the experimental setup, they can behave like a localized particle or a distributed wave. The de Broglie hypothesis states that any particle with momentum [latex]p[/latex] has an associated wavelength [latex]\lambda = h/p[/latex], where [latex]h[/latex] is Planck's constant.

This is a fundamental equation in quantum mechanics that describes how the quantum state of a physical system changes over time. It is a linear partial differential equation for the wavefunction, [latex]\Psi(x, t)[/latex]. The time-dependent version is [latex]i\hbar\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\Psi = \hat{H}\Psi[/latex], where [latex]\hat{H}[/latex] is the Hamiltonian operator, representing the total energy of the system.

Thixotropy and rheopexy describe time-dependent changes in viscosity. A thixotropic fluid's viscosity decreases over time under constant shear stress (e.g., yogurt becomes runnier when stirred). A rheopectic (or anti-thixotropic) fluid's viscosity increases over time under constant shear (e.g., some lubricants). These effects are reversible; the fluid returns to its original state after a period of rest.

A quantum mechanical phenomenon where a wavefunction can propagate through a potential energy barrier. Classically, a particle lacking sufficient energy to surmount a barrier would be reflected. However, due to the wave-like nature of particles, there is a non-zero probability that the particle can appear on the other side of the barrier, effectively 'tunneling' through it.

The Weissenberg effect is a phenomenon in viscoelastic fluids where the fluid climbs up a rotating rod inserted into it. This is contrary to the behavior of Newtonian fluids, which are pushed outwards by centrifugal force, forming a vortex. The effect is caused by normal stress differences that develop in the fluid under shear.

A Pourbaix diagram, also known as a potential/pH diagram, is a thermodynamic chart that maps the stable equilibrium phases of an aqueous electrochemical system. It graphically shows the conditions of potential ([latex]E_H[/latex]) and pH under which a metal is immune (thermodynamically stable), passivated (forms a stable protective film), or susceptible to corrosion (forms soluble ions).