1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 637 A Shocking Explanation! A Bird in the Clouds and a Frog in a Well! Blood Boiling! "Professor Li is a Roc Soaring Ten Thousand Miles Away!"

The experiment of freezing hot and cold water shocked everyone present.

The result was truly unexpected.

Wu Dayou, Zhou Peiyuan, and even Yan Renguang were all eager to know the underlying principles.

Looking at everyone's expressions, Li Qiwei's next words stunned the entire audience.

"Actually, I'm not sure about the mechanism behind this phenomenon either."

Wow!
The whole audience was shocked!

Everyone found it unbelievable!

Professor Li, who is like a god of science, couldn't solve a traditional thermodynamics problem.

"I can't even imagine it."

"There's actually a field in thermodynamics that can stump Professor Li?"

Wu Dayou's mouth dropped open; in that instant, he seemed to sense something.

Li Qiwei said with a smile:

"First, I want to explain why I raised this question."

“Just a few days ago, my two children came to me. They are only 7 years old and insisted on having ice cream.”

"I'm going to make it myself using hot milk."

"However, the two boys were very mischievous. Before the second cup of hot milk had even cooled down, they hurriedly put it in the refrigerator."

"I didn't pay much attention at first. When I estimated the time was up and opened the cup, I found that the hot milk had solidified first, while the first cup of cooled milk was still thick."

"I was very surprised at the time."

"Because this phenomenon completely contradicts people's everyday experience."

"Then, I repeated the experiment several times and found the same result each time."

Hot milk freezes before cold milk.

"It's the same if you use water instead."

"I speculate that all liquids may have this property."

"And so, this is the question we have today."

Wow!
The students were all very surprised.

Professor Li can discover such an interesting phenomenon even when making ice cream.

At this point in time, refrigerators have long existed, and ice cream is a food with a long history.

Although Borneo is very poor, some wealthy families can barely afford to try.

Li Qiwei even saw many students swallowing their saliva.

However, no one resented Professor Li's extravagant lifestyle.

Compared to what the other person has given, my current life is simply insignificant.

Thanks to Haber's artificial ammonia, there are now virtually no people starving to death in Borneo.

Moreover, the Li family holds a charity porridge distribution every month.

Professor Lee is a good leader who keeps the people of Borneo in his heart.

Li Chengren looked utterly astonished.

He knew his father was referring to his fifth brother, Chengyi, and his sixth brother, Chengli.

"These two brats dared to eat ice cream behind my back?"

He decided to assert his authority as the third brother when he got home.

At this point, Li Qiwei continued:

"After I discovered that hot water freezes before cold water, I began to think about the underlying principles."

"You won't know until you think about it, and once you do, you'll be shocked."

"I found that I couldn't accurately analyze the underlying reasons."

"Because there are just too many influencing factors."

"I can easily give you a few examples."

"First, hot water contains more dissolved gases than cold water."

"When water begins to freeze, these dissolved gases form small cavities."

"In crystallography, these voids are very conducive to crystal formation."

"Therefore, hot water is actually more likely to freeze."

"Second, the change of water from liquid to solid is actually the binding of hydrogen bonds in water molecules."

"Research shows that the higher the temperature, the higher the hydrogen bond energy of water molecules, so they are more likely to bond together."

"Third, when water is cooling, the convection of hot water is more intense than that of cold water, so the temperature of hot water drops faster."

"Fourth, because the temperature difference is different."

"The temperature difference between hot water and refrigeration equipment is 70℃, and the temperature difference between cold water and refrigeration equipment is 30℃."

"The greater the temperature difference, the more intense the energy transfer, which will also cause the hot water to freeze faster."

"If you put 40°C water in an environment of -40°C, or 70°C water in an environment of -10°C, the situation might change."

Wow!
Many people were shocked once again!
Such a small thermal experiment contains so much information.

Concepts like hydrogen bonds and convection are only understandable to students at the high school level and above.

Wu Dayou listened with rapt attention.

Now he finally understands that he was actually a frog in a well.

He always got first place in physics, and often even got full marks.

But that doesn't mean he understands physics.

Only by actively discovering the physical phenomena in life and proactively studying the underlying mechanisms can one be considered to have truly entered the field.

At that moment, Wu Dayou developed an even stronger love for physics!
At this moment, Yan Renguang said with a smile:

“Principal, if that’s the case, I’ve also considered some possibilities.”

Li Qiwei said:
“Speak freely.”

Yan Renguang said:
"First, the bottom of the container holding hot water melted the ice in the refrigeration equipment, thus changing the heat transfer conditions."

"If the hot water is moved immediately after it cools down to a certain temperature, it may not freeze first."

"Second, cold water is more likely to be overcooled in refrigeration equipment, while hot water can freeze properly."

Wow!
Many students were discussing it.

Zhou Peiyuan sighed:

"Professor Yan truly lives up to his reputation as a university professor; his foundation is solid."

"After Professor Li's guidance, he immediately understood."

"This is an extremely complex and comprehensive problem!"

In real history, the Mpemba phenomenon has never been definitively explained, even in later generations.

Why hot water freezes before cold water remains a mystery.

It is similar to "turbulence" in fluid mechanics, and is a nonlinear problem.

Li Qiwei nodded in satisfaction and smiled:

"Professor Yan's analysis makes a lot of sense."

"According to a rigorous academic definition, this is actually a non-equilibrium thermodynamic problem."

"The thermodynamics you are currently learning actually contains an implicit premise, which is the equilibrium state."

"For example, the temperature of a glass of water is 70℃."

"This statement may seem fine at first glance, but if you take it seriously, it will have a big problem."

"When hot water begins to cool, the movement of water molecules is no longer in equilibrium, and at this point there is no concept of temperature."

"Therefore, Wu Dayou's statement that water at 70℃ needs to be cooled to 20℃ before it can freeze is inappropriate."

"Temperature has lost its meaning in this experiment."

"The temperature drop is not what we imagined, from 70 to 69 or 68 degrees Celsius."

"This is a nonlinear, non-equilibrium physical process."

"Such phenomena are everywhere in nature."

"The laws of thermodynamics that you know by heart no longer apply to non-equilibrium systems."

"A large number of irregular, fast-moving, and rapidly changing particles require entirely new theories and methods to study."

hiss!
A murmur of surprise rippled through the hall. Wu Dayou and the others stared wide-eyed, utterly shocked!
The level of understanding that Professor Li described was simply beyond comprehension!
"My God!"

"It turns out there's such a gap between theory and the real world!"

"It's ridiculous that I used to think that mastering the four laws of thermodynamics would allow me to explain all phenomena."

"Temperature is a concept that physicists abstracted to facilitate the description of the overall properties of balanced particles."

"If you don't understand its origins, you might think that temperature is something you are born with."

"But with just a glass of water to cool it down, the concept of temperature is lost."

"This is truly eye-opening!"

At this moment, everyone truly felt the profoundness and breadth of science.

Each concept is far more complex than just a few words in a book.

Behind them may lie various practical explorations and compromises by scientists.

Human thinking itself dictates that it can only comprehend linear changes.

We lose our true perception of nonlinear changes.

Zhou Peiyuan said excitedly:

"We definitely made the right choice coming here!"

"Although Professor Li did not directly impart knowledge, the ideas he expressed are more important than mere knowledge!"

Xu Handong sighed to Yan Renguang:

"The principal's classes still have that familiar feel to them."

"I really miss it."

Yan Renguang was also immersed in the beautiful memories.

Li Qiwei continued:
"Of course, I'm not here today to discuss with you the many factors that influence hot water freezing first, or the specific mechanisms involved."

"Instead, I want to use this to illustrate a point."

"That's the type of scientist."

"In my view, all scientists in the world can be divided into two types."

"One is the 'bird in the clouds,' and the other is the 'frog in the well.'"

"The so-called 'cloud sparrow' refers to a sparrow that flies in the sky and shuttles among the clouds."

"They can see the whole landscape, but they don't know exactly how high the mountains are or how deep the rivers are."

"This type of scientist tends to focus on macro-level issues and doesn't care about specific details."

"For example, some thermophysicists might think that the freezing of hot water is a process of temperature decrease."

"Although it is complex, it is simple in essence, so they don't want to understand the details."

"But scientists who are like frogs in a well are different."

"It's important to note here that my use of the 'frog in the well' has no derogatory meaning."

"It refers to scientists who like to delve deeply into a particular branch of research, only seeing a small patch of sky above their heads."

"For example, if someone wants to thoroughly investigate the question of whether hot water freezes first, then he is a scientist like a frog in a well."

Wow!
Such a simple explanation made it understandable for almost all students.

“I know that many of you would rather be a bird in the clouds than a frog in a well.”

"Because the former looks more prestigious, like a real scientist."

"The latter, however, gives the impression of being stubborn and nitpicky."

"However, I must say that this idea is wrong!"

"Scientific achievements may vary in size and quality, but the spirit of scientists is not distinguished by its nobility or baseness."

"Whether they are birds in the clouds or frogs in a well, they are all trying to understand the world."

"Knowing how big the land is is important, but knowing how many rivers and minerals there are on it is equally important."

"Some people like basic physics, some like applied physics, and some even want to study how to make stronger screws."

"These are all science."

"Of the students here today, very few of you may actually embark on a path of physics research in the future, especially in the most cutting-edge field of fundamental physics."

"Therefore, you cannot be birds in the clouds."

"But please remember, even a frog at the bottom of a well can still be of great value."

"You can improve the efficiency of the machine and save costs; you can try hundreds of formulas to produce the best dyes."

"More importantly, even if you don't pursue a scientific career, you should still uphold this spirit."

"To become a bird in the clouds, one must have the courage to forge ahead and forge ahead."

"If you want to be a frog in a well, you must have the perseverance to stick to the end and never turn back."

"The future of China belongs to you, and the future of the world also belongs to you!"

boom!
The audience erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Everyone stood up at the same time, their admiration for Professor Li reaching its peak.

Xu Handong clapped his hands until they were red, and his eyes turned red as well.

"The principal spoke so well!"

"Great!"

At this moment, Xu Handong was deeply moved; the principal had truly touched his heart.

He always thought that a "bad student" like himself was not valued by the principal.

But today, he finally understood.

"The principal has never overlooked our efforts."

"Old Yan and the others are like birds in the clouds, high above; while I am like a frog at the bottom of a well, unknown and obscure."

"But in the principal's eyes, we are all the same."

"I am also contributing to the cause of education in China!"

Xu Handong is no longer confused about the future!

He and Yan Renguang exchanged a glance, then burst into hearty laughter.

It felt as if hot blood was boiling in the bodies of Zhou Peiyuan, Wang Dezhao, and others!
While there may be objective differences in people's intelligence, the human spirit can make up for everything.

They may never achieve what Professor Qian Wushi did.

However, as long as you can make even the smallest breakthrough in your area of ​​expertise, that's enough to become a true scientist!
"Haha, after hearing Professor Li's remarks, I feel completely refreshed."

"If I can't continue with physics, I'll learn to build airplanes and cannons and drive away all the invaders who dare to invade!"

"If I can't control physics, I can still control you guys!"

Students like Wu Dayou and Wang Ganchang were bursting with confidence!

Encouraged by Professor Li, they broke free from their mental shackles, becoming pure and open-minded, free from the anxieties of gain and loss.

He even arrogantly said:

"I want it all!"

"I not only want to search for distant territories, but I also want to measure the mountains and rivers beneath my feet."

The atmosphere inside the venue was absolutely wild!

Suddenly, someone asked curiously:

"Professor Li, what type of scientist are you?"

Li Qiwei was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

A handsome smile played on his lips as he said playfully:

"you guess?"

After saying that, he stepped down from the podium, ending his speech for the day.

Everyone laughed.

However, everyone had the same answer in their minds:
"Professor Li is like a roc soaring ninety thousand miles above the heavens and earth!"
-
Over the next two months, Ridgeway traveled to all the major cities in Borneo.

He inspected the construction progress of various research institutes, laboratories, companies, schools, and other institutions.

The development of Borneo can only be described as phenomenal.

Meanwhile, in faraway Europe...

The age of nuclear physics has finally truly arrived!
The person who opened this curtain was a woman who was almost ignored by the scientific community.

(End of this chapter)