Zero Point energy? Can we harness it?

Question

According to quantum theory it is impossible to harness the energy of a atoms base oscillation at 0 degrees kelvin?(h**l it takes enough energy just to get there!) If anyone has any ideas on that one shoot, but that's not the one I'm talking about the hype on "longitudinal electromagnetic waves." Any information on how exactly this supposed energy form works please discuss.

Answer 1

Zero point energy corresponds in the lowest energy solution of Schroedinger's equation for the harmonic oscillator.  it corresponds to one half the frequency of each vibrational energy step. You can't get lower than that. So you can't use it.

Why this happens: if a vibration had NO zero point energy, the atoms would be stationary at their equilibrium distance.  So you would know their position along this coordinate (the equilibrium distance) and their momentum along this coordinate (zero). But knowing both of these at the same time violates the uncertainty principle.

BTW, you can never get to absolutely 0°K.  For that would correspond to zero entropy, which means zero disorder, which means certainty, and certainty is not of this world.

And while we're on the subject, electromagnetic waves are transverse by their very nature.