NOVEL DISPLAY

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1936, Page 6

NOVEL DISPLAY

NEW COOL'XG MACEII-VE

EXHIBITION.OF COLD

• LONDON, May 1. A ‘ne'w method of reaching the low-

est possible temperatures, lower even than are to be found in interstellar space, was demonstrated for the first time in public at a “Very Low Temperatures” exhibition at the Science Museum, London.

It is the first occasion that such an exhibition has been Judd in any part of the world, yet the production of low tein’pcfiritures is of increasing industrial, 'MI well- as of scientific importance. : , Hitherto', all attempts to reach the' “absolute zero,” tho lowest possible' temperature, have been based on tlie slight'Cooling; which takes place in aiiy gas, under , (appropriate conditions/ when it-’is allowed to expend. ! The new method, due to Professor de Haas and Dr Wiersma, of the KamerlingU / Omies Laboratory in Holland;'Makes use of a powerful magnet; It is based, on the cooling effect obtained, under certain cbiiditiins, durdihg tho process of “demagnetisation.”

With it Professor de Haas has been able to get within .003 of " a degree of the'-(‘absolute -■zero.” Under the more difficult conditions of a lecture demonstration,' it is hoped that a tetnpei’ature with .05 degree of the “absolute zero” will be reached. The demonstration. - will only be given once, and it will not be possible to repre-. sent the new method in the exhibition proper, .'except ill the form of diagrams. ‘ ‘Absolute • zero” is, strictly speaking, an unattainable goal. It is the temperature at which matter would' have been deprived of the whole of its dieat, ‘and; even the restlessly mdv- 1 •mg atoni Would be still. ■ / The l exhibits are ’ designed • 1 to show how all the'eight different gases of the atmosphere are obtained from the three states of. .gas, liquid and solid, both in scientific laboratories and under inindustrial conditions;

“Oxygen is employed,” a museum expert stated, ‘.‘as- is well known, in metal cutting and welding, including the breaking up of ships.- Liquid air is used in. mind rescue equipment as well as for other special breathing equipment. ' - : ' :

“Solid cardon dioxide is familiar as the cooling medium of ice-croani tricycles-; nitrogen- and argon, from the atmosphere as the gases used in, gasfilled electric lamps and wireless vai- ; ves4- white ■ neany ,krypton, and xenon thavo made their ,contribution to mpd-iern-illuihination.fi? , Many of -the jexhibits .will be in eonitintimi.s;operitio», on- may be worked by the visitor, -f ;• , -