What is the Casimir Effect?

Question

Can anyone simply explain what it is and what happens, but I have no knowledge of quantum physics so the more basic the better :-)

Answer 1

In physics, the Casimir effect and the Casimir-Polder force are physical forces arising from a quantized field. The typical example is of two uncharged metallic plates in a vacuum, placed a few micrometers apart, without any external electromagnetic field. In a classical description, the lack of an external field also means that there is no field between the plates, and no force would be measured between them. When this field is instead studied using quantum mechanics, it is seen that the plates do affect the virtual photons which constitute the field, and generate a net force[1]—either an attraction or a repulsion depending on the specific arrangement of the two plates

Answer 2

The Casimir is the same of strong nuclear force.

If it out core then it is called Casimir force else it is called strong nuclear force.

Answer 3

Sorry, it's all about quantum effects ...

Best way to express it starts as follows :-

1) An object at rest can remain at rest and still have multiple  instantaneous forces acting upon it, so long as the 'average' of these forces is zero ...

2) If a second object is bought up close to the first, it will 'block off' the instantaneous forces acting on the near side of first object .. thus, the first object will experience a net force (towards the second) ..

Now consider the quantum world .. here uncertainties (quantum fluctuations) means there are many 'instantaneous quantum forces' acting on everything - but these all 'average out' to zero ..

Bring two flat plates very close to one another and a net force appears (because one plate is 'blocking off' the other from the 'instantaneous quantum forces' on the near side)

Answer 4

http://www.casimir.rl.ac.uk/

Answer 5

Cashmir is a nut, I think and the effect that it produces is a stinky one!