anachronism said:
Well to be fair the melting point of gold is not room temperature no matter which site you look at or which reference document you choose to reference.
I have to agree with Jon here
The scientists in this article "did NOT" observe gold melting at room temp - at least not at room temp ALONE
Rather - what they observed - was energy being applied to gold & the amount/level of energy needed before gold was observed melting - though the temp of the room - did not change due to the applied energy
Quote from the article; --- First, they placed a small piece of gold in an electron microscope. Then they started observing it at the highest level of magnification and began gradually increasing the electric field to extremely high levels. When they reached the highest electric field, they noticed that the surface layers of gold had actually melted – at room temperature.
In other words - per the underlined - at the highest level of magnification - they started observing (the gold) --- and (then) began gradually increasing the electric field to extremely high levels ---
When they reached the highest electric field, they noticed that the surface layers of gold had actually melted
Granted - during the "experiment" the room temp remained the same - but it was not until the highest electric field was reached that they observed a "surface" melting of the gold
So - they had to "target" the gold with applied energy "before" they observed the surface of the gold melting --- like wise - at that same "room temp" - they also observed - the surface of the gold was NOT molten - until AFTER the highest electric field (energy) was applied --- in other words - at that room temp they could have looked at the gold all day under the highest level of magnification WITHOUT applying the electric field to extremely high levels & what they would have observed is that the "surface" of the gold was "not'" molten at the temp of the room
If you google - "what is considered to be room temperature" - you will find that it is an "agreed on range" for comfort in a room - that range is considered 68 - 72 F (20 -22 C)
In a room within that range temp I can melt a full ozt. (31.1 grams) with a MAPP gas torch & I wont change the temp of the room by even one degree - much let alone raise the temp above that range
My point being (& as Dave said) I to can melt gold at room temp - & I can melt a whole lot more then just the surface of a ozt. --- & that's because the temp of the room has "nothing" to do with the gold melting - it's the energy (torch) "targeting" the gold that melts it --- in fact - I can melt gold at "less" the room temp
taking it a step further -if they had put the same gold under their scope & put a MAPP torch to it (instead of an electric field) - they would have observed the same thing --- the "surface" of the gold melting - "at room temp" (the surface being only a few atoms deep) & I am willing to bet that "surface" melting would take place within seconds - if not a second --- it would take place looong before the gold "started" to become molten to the naked eye
Bottom line - they have proved two things - 1) gold at room temp is not molten - not even at the surface - 2) gold can be melted at room temp - BUT - it takes an energy source applied &/or targeted to the gold before becoming molten at room temp --- So really - all they proved is that energy is "required" in targeting gold in order for gold to reach a molten state - whether at a surface level or full blown melt down
So does gold melt at room temp --- yep :!: :!: :!: --- but ONLY if energy is applied/targeted at the gold
Therefore - IMO - this article is pure B.S. - smoke & mirrors --- or as a wise man once said - shenanigans and semantics --- because gold at room temp ALONE does not & will not make gold molten "at any level" - that is physics 101
Expensive lab gear was used to "apply" the electric field "before" their expensive scope observed the gold reaching a molten state (a few atoms deep) - without the electric field - their scope would have seen nothing other then the crystal formation of solid gold
Further quote from the article;--- Because we can control and change the properties of the surface atom layers, it opens doors for different kinds of applications. For example, the technology could be used in different types of sensors, catalysts and transistors. There could also be opportunities for new concepts for contactless components
That "may" be true - but gold being molten at room temp "
alone" is not going to open any of those doors & that's because gold is not molten at room temp - they will have to create technology (which will need to be plugged in) to achieve the molten state of gold they "hope" for to open the doors to the other suggested technologies --- it will still need to be plugged in to make it work
Kurt