Skip to main content
superfluid

superfluid

1 9.6
A liquid that flows without friction at very low temperatures
  • noun
  • /ˈsuːpərˌfluːɪd/
  • Specialized
: superfluido
  • In scientific experiments, phenomena observed in a superfluid reveal intriguing properties of quantum mechanics.
  • superfluid 3He
  • superfluids and superconductors

That's difficult to do because a superfluid doesn't have friction.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • And superfluid 4He can maintain large electric fields without suffering dielectric breakdown.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Intrigued by this phase of correlated pairs, researchers looked for clear evidence that it is a superfluid, as expected.

    Academic text (2005)
  • If you now add the force that comes from the superfluid, it works nicely.

  • Strange question for the day: What substance would be a superfluid at...?

    Fiction book (1999)
  • The experiments thus support the prediction that a new type of superfluid has formed.

    Academic text (2004)
  • From that, he says, one can conclude that the T = 0 ground state is a superfluid.

    Academic text (2004)
  • That's difficult to do because a superfluid doesn't have friction.

  • Of course, superconductors and superfluids are also examples of Bose-Einstein condensates, albeit in much more strongly interacting systems.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Liquid helium behaves like a superfluid when cooled to near absolute zero, allowing it to flow without resistance.

  • At extremely low temperatures, helium-4 transitions into a superfluid, exhibiting unique characteristics like climbing walls.

Antonyms

12 6.1

Thick and sticky so it does not flow easily

How Frictionless

superfluid
  • Specialized
1 9.6
inviscid
  • Specialized
9.9
liquid
214 1.0
syrup
180 1.0
sludge
27 4.8

Surface Forms

superfluid singular
superfluids plural

Morphology

superfluid = fluid (semi-transparent) = super + fluid

While 'super' + 'fluid' suggests a superior or enhanced fluid, the specific scientific meaning of frictionless flow at low temperatures is specialized.

Etymology

The word superfluid comes from super- ('very' or 'above') and fluid ('to flow'), so a superfluid is a liquid that can flow without friction.