zero-point energy
Noun
Meaning
(physics, quantum mechanics) The lowest possible energy of a given quantum mechanical system.
The existence of a zero-point energy (i.e., the existence of a non-zero lower limit to the energy of a quantum-mechanical system) is a consequence of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.
(physics, physical chemistry) The kinetic energy possessed by (the particle constituents of) a substance at absolute zero temperature.
Source: en.wiktionary.orgSynonyms
Examples
Additionally, some field theories were proven to be exactly equivalent to free theories (whose vacuum expectation values were zero), and so again, we assumed that the zero-point energy was zero.
Although the Casimir effect can be expressed in terms of virtual particles interacting with the objects, it is best described and more easily calculated in terms of the zero-point energy of a quantized field in the intervening space between the objects.
Also, the microscopic properties of helium-3 cause it to have a higher zero-point energy than helium-4.
Assuming the energy of rotating diatomic molecules contains zero-point energy, they then compared the theoretical specific heat of hydrogen gas with the experimental data.
Gridfire resembles the zero-point energy used within many popular science fiction stories.
However, even if scientists could remove all kinetic thermal energy from matter, quantum mechanical zero-point energy (ZPE) causes particle motion that can never be eliminated.