breaking - unbreaking

[MigL]

Sorry Michel123456, I was leaving from work this morning and in a rush ( it snowed AGAIN last nite ) and I replaced one too specific example with another. Let me see if I can clear it up.

 

Bound states, with few exceptions are lower energy states than unbounded states.

 

In the case of gravitationally bound clumps of mass within a common gravitational well, the bound state is lower energy than the unbounded, i.e. you need to add energy to separate the masses as on their own they will tend to come together.

In the case of viscous liquids bound together by surface tension the lowest energy state is that which binds the liquid in a spherical configuration and again energy has to be added to break it apart.

In the case of electromagnetically bound atoms where the electrons are bound by Coulomb interaction to the nuclear protons, the bound state is again the lower energy state and energy ( ionizing ) has to be added to separate them.

In the case of residual electromagnetic bounds between molecules ( van Der Waals ), again the bound state is lower energy, and usually heat helps to decompose these molecules.

 

The few exceptions, which I include because I know you'll bring them up, are such as unstable large nuclei which fission, and self heating or deflagrating chemicals where a little energy added to the stable bound state, changes it to an unstable state ( but maybe John C. can clarify this more as I'm not very familiar with explosives and organic oxidisers ).

[studiot]

 

With heat I presume.

 

 

I'm sorry?

You need to remove energy not add it.

[michel123456]

 

I'm sorry?

You need to remove energy not add it.

Yes. The material will produce heat.

[swansont]

Would it be possible to perform an experiment in void where a broken solid material can be put together? And release energy? (since the material would have less energy).That would be cool.

Like ice?

 

Ice would not be a representative example, since if ambient is above freezing a phase change would be involved. Your original questions seemed to exclude the act of melting and re-solidifying as a method.