New record for measurement of atomic lifetime

Wednesday, September 7, 2011 - 20:30 in Physics & Chemistry

Researchers in Denmark have measured the lifetime of an extremely stable energy level of magnesium atoms with great precision. Magnesium atoms are used in research with ultra-precise atomic clocks. The new measurements show a lifetime of 2050 seconds, which corresponds to approximately one half hour. This is the longest lifetime ever measured in a laboratory.

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