Context:
An elusive particle proposed in 1956 by theoretical physicist David Pines has just been discovered.
About Pines’ demon:
- Scientists long suspected that this particle, called a ‘demon’, plays a fundamental role in the characteristics of several metals, but had been unable to confirm its existence thus far.
- The demon is not a particle in the conventional sense of the term. Instead, it is a collection of particles, or a composite particle, made of electrons. (Protons are another example of a composite particle; they are made up of quarks.)
- The demon is neutral, so it can’t interact with electromagnetic radiation, or light – this was the reason why it remained elusive for many years.
- The demon also has a potential role in why some metal hydrides become superconducting.
Superconductivity is the phenomenon in which electricity flows without resistance in a material.
Read more about superconductors
Source: The Hindu
Previous year question
The efforts to detect the existence of Higgs boson particle have become frequent news in the recent past. What is/are the importance (s) of discovering this particle?
1. It will enable us to understand as to why elementary particles have mass.
2. It will enable us in the near future to develop the technology of tranferring matter from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them.
3. It will enable us to create better fuels for nuclear fission.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2013 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
