Ask A Scientist Physics Archive

name         Tal H.
status       student
age          16

Question -   About zero point energy, I was told it is possible to use it as a power source not 
far from today, is it true? I have also been told by a physics teacher that ZPE can be used NOW 
to build some kind of "back to the future" like hover board and that such a prototype has already 
been built, true or false?

If the answers to the questions are no , would you please shortly explain the current possible use 
of ZPE?
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I know of no scientist who understands the laws of quantum mechanics who contends that zero point 
energy can be used as a source of energy. Zero point energy means what it says. There is no lower 
energy for the system to go. Zero point energy arises from the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. If 
a system is confined by some boundaries there is a limit on how well its position can be determined. 
This has nothing to do with experimental measurements, it is IN PRINCIPLE a limitation on the knowledge 
of its
position. The product of the uncertainty in position and momentum is of the order of Planck's constant,
h. Zero point energy has no "use" in the practical sense of the word, it is the consequence of quantum 
mechanics. One might as well ask what "use" does a wave function have?
 
Vince Calder
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