Meissner effect

[ mahys-ner ]

noun

, Physics.

1. the loss of magnetism that a superconductor displays when cooled to its transition temperature in a magnetic field.

Meissner effect

/ ˈmaɪsnə /

noun

1. physics the phenomenon in which magnetic flux is excluded from a substance when it is in a superconducting state, except for a thin layer at the surface

Word History and Origins

Origin of Meissner effect¹

After German physicist Fritz Walther Meissner (1882–1974), who contributed to a description of the effect in 1933

Word History and Origins

Origin of Meissner effect¹

C20: named after Fritz Walther Meissner (1882–1974), German physicist

Example Sentences

This so-called critical current behavior and the Meissner effect are the two key features of superconductors.

From Science Daily

This measurement is important because it indicates one sign of a superconductor: the ability to expel a magnetic field, a phenomenon called the Meissner effect.

From Scientific American

The levitation, the scientists said, demonstrated the Meissner effect, which ensures zero magnetic field inside a superconductor.

From New York Times

One such test is for the Meissner effect: because a superconductor expels magnetic fields, it repels other magnets, producing an iconic levitating effect.

From Scientific American

The South Korean researchers provided a video of what they say is LK-99 exhibiting the Meissner effect, but superconductors aren’t the only things that float above magnets—graphite, for example, also levitates.

From Scientific American