A College Student Accidentally Broke the Laws of Thermodynamics
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The Laws of Thermodynamics explain interactions among components in a system, including emulsification of liquids.
A new surprising finding is that two immiscible liquids, when influenced by magnetized particles, will flout these established laws.
The authors of this finding admit that this discovery has no practical use (as of right now) but is a never-before-seen state in soft-matter physics.
As Homer Simpson once famously phrased, 'in this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics,' but a new and completely unexpected discovery by a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst runs afoul of Homer's rule.
The Laws of Thermodynamics describe the relationship of temperature, energy, and entropy in a system as well as how components of a system interact. Take emulsification for instance. This process describes how two otherwise unmixable (or immiscible) substances can combine into a homogeneous mixture. The oil in peanut butter, for example, naturally separates, forming a top layer that needs to be mixed in. However, some companies add substances known as 'emulsifiers' to keep this separation from occurring. The interaction of these components in a system can all be described by the Laws of Thermodynamics.
'Imagine your favorite Italian salad dressing,' UMass Amherst's Thomas Russell, senior author of a new paper published in the journal Nature Physics, said in a press statement. 'It's made up of oil, water and spices, and before you pour it onto your salad, you shake it up so that all the ingredients mix.'
This is emulsification in action. That very same process got strange, though, when in a Amherst laboratory, Anthony Raykh, a graduate student, mixed a batch of immiscible liquids along with magnetized nickel particles. Instead of mixing together as expected (shown below), the mixture formed what the authors of a new paper in the journal Nature Physics describe as a Grecian urn shape.
After turning to professors for answers as well as collaborating with scientists at nearby Syracuse University and Tufts University, Raykh discovered thanks to detailed simulations that when magnetism influencing the two liquids is strong, it can bend the boundary of the liquids into a curve and disrupt the emulsification as described by the laws of thermodynamics. No matter how hard you shook the magnetized mixture, the liquids eventually formed this same shape.
'When you look very closely at the individual nanoparticles of magnetized nickel that form the boundary between the water and oil,' says Hoagland, 'you can get extremely detailed information on how different forms assemble. In this case, the particles are magnetized strongly enough that their assembly interferes with the process of emulsification, which the laws of thermodynamics describe.'
Raykh admits that this discovery doesn't immediately have any practical applications, but it is a never-before-seen state that could expand the field of soft-matter physics.
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As far back as 1999, USGS noticed that pesticides, including atrazine, were detected in places where farmers hadn't applied them. Even for residents of areas where a water treatment plant removes the chemicals, buying a filter certified to the NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53 provides some additional assurance of water safety. Look for filters in refrigerators and water pitchers that meet this certification. Buy organic Eating organic foods can also help to reduce intake of pesticides, especially glyphosate. About 90% of pregnant women have detectable amounts of glyphosate in their bodies, according to one study. 'But when you put people on organic diets, you start to see that they no longer have pesticides in their urine,' Perry says. Research in 2020 found that eating an organic diet dropped glyphosate levels by 70% in children and their parents. In 2023, researchers put pregnant women on an organic diet for one week. Those who went all-organic decreased glyphosate in their urine by 43%. A 2019 study found a 95% reduction in organophosphates. Wash and peel Richardson calls these studies on organic foods 'intriguing' while noting that natural compounds used in organic farming may also be toxic beyond certain thresholds. Even when eating organic, 'make sure you wash your fruits and vegetables very well,' he says. One study found that soaking apples in baking soda mixed with water for 12-15 minutes eliminated more residue than water alone. However, according to another study, washing produce with running water is superior to baking soda, sitting water, and vinegar. Other research shows a gentle rubbing action during washing is effective. Aim for 20-30 seconds or longer if you have time. Peeling the skin and outer pulp will get rid of additional residue that penetrates into some produce. There's a major downside, though: you lose a portion of the beneficial nutrients and compounds, like fiber and vitamins, that help protect against pesticide toxicity. Some research suggests that replacing processed foods with diverse whole foods can reduce how many pesticides you ingest (but some research suggests there may be fewer benefits if they're not organic). Exercise and manage stress Aside from nutrition, other lifestyle behaviors such as exercise, stress management, and good sleep may build a baseline of health that helps thwart the cumulative effects of pesticides and other pollutants. Overall, they influence how someone's body responds to their ' exposome,' Richardson explains—your total environmental exposures and how they interact with lifestyle behaviors and risk factors like age and genetics. Bastasch says the EPA assesses the combined risks of groups of pesticides that affect the body in similar ways, adding that the agency is continuing to advance research in this area. The exposome probably matters more than any one chemical type, but 'we're really just breaking the surface of understanding these interactions,' Richardson says. Until more definitive science emerges, maintain smart practices like scrubbing produce and striving for a healthy lifestyle.
