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RE: Why is it not possible to reassemble pieces of a broken solid?

in #stemq6 years ago

It was actually in Feynman lectures:

"It was pointed out above that attempts to measure μ by sliding pure substances such as copper on copper will lead to spurious results, because the surfaces in contact are not pure copper, but are mixtures of oxides and other impurities. If we try to get absolutely pure copper, if we clean and polish the surfaces, outgas the materials in a vacuum, and take every conceivable precaution, we still do not get μ. For if we tilt the apparatus even to a vertical position, the slider will not fall off—the two pieces of copper stick together! The coefficient μ, which is ordinarily less than unity for reasonably hard surfaces, becomes several times unity! The reason for this unexpected behavior is that when the atoms in contact are all of the same kind, there is no way for the atoms to “know” that they are in different pieces of copper. When there are other atoms, in the oxides and greases and more complicated thin surface layers of contaminants in between, the atoms “know” when they are not on the same part. When we consider that it is forces between atoms that hold the copper together as a solid, it should become clear that it is impossible to get the right coefficient of friction for pure metals."

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Thanks, this is very interesting.

Though the text falls short on telling that the two pieces of copper becomes one and cannot be separated without tools.

So the atomic framework at the point of contact between the two copper pieces is probably not the same as the atomic framework within each piece.

Though the text falls short on telling that the two pieces of copper becomes one and cannot be separated without tools.

I think this part says almost exactly what you are looking for:

when the atoms in contact are all of the same kind, there is no way for the atoms to “know” that they are in different pieces of copper

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