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Quantum number
A quantum number describes the energies of electrons in atoms. Each quantum number specifies the value of a conserved quantity in the dynamics of the quantum system. Since any quantum system can have one or more quantum numbers, it is a futile job to list all possible quantum numbers. The question of how many quantum numbers are needed to describe any given system has no universal answer, although for each system one must find the answer for a full analysis of the system. The most widely studied set of quantum numbers is that for a single electron in an atom: not only because it is useful in chemistry, being the basic notion behind the periodic table, valence (chemistry) and a host of other properties, but also because it is a solvable and realistic problem, and, as such, finds widespread use in textbooks.
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Matter & Energy News
October 6, 2025
Oct. 5, 2025 — A Penn State research team found that streetlights could double as affordable EV charging stations. After installing 23 units in Kansas City, they discovered these chargers were faster, cheaper, and more eco-friendly than traditional stations. Their ...
Oct. 4, 2025 — Scientists at OIST have, for the first time, directly tracked the elusive “dark excitons” inside atomically thin materials. These quantum particles could revolutionize information technology, as they are more stable and resistant to ...
Oct. 3, 2025 — Researchers have designed a new type of gravitational wave detector that operates in the milli-Hertz range, a region untouched by current observatories. Built with optical resonators and atomic clocks, the compact detectors can fit on a lab table ...
Oct. 2, 2025 — A team in Sweden has unraveled the hidden structure of a promising solar material using machine learning and advanced simulations. Their findings could unlock durable, ultra-efficient solar cells for ...
Oct. 1, 2025 — A powerful new AI tool called Diag2Diag is revolutionizing fusion research by filling in missing plasma data with synthetic yet highly detailed information. Developed by Princeton scientists and international collaborators, this system uses sensor ...
Sep. 30, 2025 — A new boron-rich compound, manganese diboride, delivers much higher energy density than current solid-rocket materials while remaining stable until intentionally ignited. Its power comes from an unusual, strained atomic structure formed during ...
Sep. 30, 2025 — A team of physicists has discovered that virtual charges, which exist only during brief interactions with light, play a critical role in ultrafast material responses. Using attosecond pulses on diamonds, they showed these hidden carriers ...
Sep. 28, 2025 — Oil wells often dry up far earlier than predicted, leaving companies baffled about the “missing” reserves. A Penn State team tackled this puzzle by harnessing PSC’s Bridges-2 supercomputer, adding a time dimension and amplitude analysis to ...
Sep. 27, 2025 — Researchers have discovered an unusual "quantum echo" in superconducting materials, dubbed the Higgs echo. This phenomenon arises from the interplay between Higgs modes and quasiparticles, producing distinctive signals unlike conventional echoes. By ...
Sep. 26, 2025 — Scientists have developed a lens-free mid-infrared camera using a modern twist on pinhole imaging. The system uses nonlinear crystals to convert infrared light into visible, allowing standard sensors to capture sharp, wide-range images without ...
Sep. 26, 2025 — Scientists found that biochar doesn’t just capture pollutants, it actively destroys them using direct electron transfer. This newly recognized ability accounts for up to 40% of its cleaning power and remains effective through repeated use. The ...
Sep. 26, 2025 — Bio-tar, once seen as a toxic waste, can be transformed into bio-carbon with applications in clean energy and environmental protection. This innovation could reduce emissions, create profits, and solve a major bioenergy industry ...
Latest Headlines
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Oct. 6, 2025 — Scientists may have finally uncovered the mystery behind ultra-high-energy cosmic rays — the most powerful particles known in the universe. A team from NTNU suggests that colossal winds from ...
Oct. 2, 2025 — Scientists confirmed that pianists can alter timbre through touch, using advanced sensors to capture micro-movements that shape sound perception. The discovery bridges art and science, promising ...
Oct. 1, 2025 — The LUX-ZEPLIN detector is breaking new ground in the hunt for dark matter, setting unprecedented limits on WIMP particles. Its results not only narrow the possibilities for dark matter but also open ...
Sep. 29, 2025 — A fresh black hole merger detection has offered the clearest evidence yet for Einstein’s relativity and Hawking’s predictions. Scientists tracked the complete cosmic collision, confirming that ...
Sep. 28, 2025 — Researchers have reimagined Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, engineering a trade-off that allows precise measurement of both position and momentum. Using quantum computing tools like grid states ...
Sep. 28, 2025 — Ancient copper smelters may have accidentally set the stage for the Iron Age. At a 3,000-year-old workshop in Georgia, researchers discovered that metalworkers were using iron oxide not to smelt iron ...
Sep. 25, 2025 — Physicists are eyeing charged gravitinos—ultra-heavy, stable particles from supergravity theory—as possible Dark Matter candidates. Unlike axions or WIMPs, these particles carry electric charge ...
Sep. 25, 2025 — Toxic metals are pushing infrared detector makers into a corner, but NYU Tandon researchers have developed a cleaner solution using colloidal quantum dots. These detectors are made like “inks,” ...
Sep. 24, 2025 — A Hiroshima University team has designed a feasible way to detect the Unruh effect, where acceleration turns quantum vacuum fluctuations into observable particles. By using superconducting Josephson ...
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