Why in the News?
Indian scientists have developed the first supercomputer powered simulation to successfully capture the Mpemba effect, the counterintuitive phenomenon where hot water freezes faster than cold water. The achievement was announced by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
What is the Mpemba Effect
- A physical phenomenon in which hot water freezes faster than colder water under certain conditions
- Named after Erasto Mpemba, a Tanzanian student who reported the effect in the 1960s
- Long considered a scientific paradox due to lack of a complete theoretical explanation
Key Findings
- Simulation successfully reproduced the Mpemba effect in water
- Demonstrated that the effect can also occur in fluid to solid phase transitions beyond water
- Confirms that non equilibrium thermodynamics plays a crucial role in freezing dynamics
Scientific Significance
- Resolves a long standing physical paradox through computational physics
- Enhances understanding of phase transitions and heat transfer
- Opens new avenues in materials science and condensed matter physics
- Shows the power of supercomputing in theoretical and experimental validation
Institutional Context
- Research supported by India’s advanced scientific infrastructure
- Aligns with national efforts in computational science, physics research, and supercomputing missions
Prelims Pointers
- The Mpemba effect refers to the faster freezing of hot water compared to cold
- The phenomenon lacks a single universal explanation
- Supercomputer simulations help study processes at atomic and molecular scales
- The effect may exist in systems other than water
| [2011] The surface of a lake is frozen in severe winter, but the water at its bottom is still liquid. What is the reason?
(a) Ice is a bad conductor of heat (b) Since the surface of the lake is at the same temperature as the air, no heat is lost (c) The density of water is maximum at 4°C (d) None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) |
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