absolute zero

noun

Definition of absolute zero

: a theoretical temperature characterized by complete absence of heat and motion and equivalent to exactly −273.15°C or −459.67°F

Examples of absolute zero in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bose-Einstein condensate: Only formed at temperatures close to absolute zero, all the atoms in this material begin to act as a single particle. — Adam Mann, National Geographic, "Confirmed: New phase of matter is solid and liquid at the same time," 8 Apr. 2019 Worse yet, the vibrations will not stop until the crystal reaches absolute zero, which is impossible. — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "Straining a diamond makes silicon-based qubit behave," 20 Sep. 2018 These are clouds of hundreds of thousands of atoms that, when chilled to just above absolute zero, behave as waves that synchronize into a single quantum object. — Elizabeth Gibney, Scientific American, "Universe’s Coolest Lab Set to Open Quantum World," 9 May 2018 Kuiper Belt objects are incredibly cold — just 35 degrees Kelvin above absolute zero. — Loren Grush, The Verge, "On New Year’s Day, a spacecraft will zoom by the most distant object humanity has ever visited," 27 Dec. 2018 That will have effects on things much more important than the party balloon industry; with a boiling point near absolute zero, the inert gas has all kinds of applications and uses in medicine and technology. — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, "Researchers Have Found a Crucial Cache of Helium Underground in Africa," 28 June 2016 This series of graphs show the changing density of a cloud of atoms as it is cooled to lower temperatures (going from left to right) approaching absolute zero. — Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, "NASA has created the coldest spot ever," 9 Aug. 2018 Zero Kelvin, also known as absolute zero, is the equivalent of minus 459 degrees Fahrenheit. — Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, "NASA has created the coldest spot ever," 9 Aug. 2018 The only practical superconductors developed thus far must be cooled to within a few degrees of absolute zero before this state takes hold. — Neil Savage, Scientific American, "What Are the Limits of Manipulating Nature?," 8 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'absolute zero.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.