‘Opposites charges attract; like charges repel’ is a long-held fundamental principle of physics that you might have heard at school. But your teacher may have been wrong.
A new University of Oxford study published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology has found that similarly charged particles can sometimes attract each other rather than repel.
Researchers based at Oxford’s chemistry department found that like-charged particles submerged in solutions were able to attract each other from long distances.
This depended on solvent used and the sign of the charge the study reported.
“I am really very proud of my two graduate students, as well as the undergraduates, who have all worked together to move the needle on this fundamental discovery,” Oxford Professor Madhavi Krishnan, who led the study, said.
Zhang Kang.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Dr. Sarah Adams is a scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to all. Her articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
