Article
Article
High-pressure physics
Article By:
Linde, Ronald K. Envirodyne, Inc., Los Angeles, California.
DeCarli, Paul S. Poulter Laboratories, Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, California.
Last reviewed:January 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.318300
High-pressure physics is concerned with the effects of high pressure on the properties of matter. Since most properties of matter are modified by pressure, the field of high-pressure physics encompasses virtually all branches of physics. The justification for classifying high-pressure physics as a separate field is that rather specialized and often ingenious techniques are needed, both to produce high pressures and to make measurements of changes of physical properties of a material at high pressure. This field is therefore analogous to the fields of low- and high-temperature physics. Indeed, high-pressure experiments have been performed at temperatures approaching absolute zero and at temperatures as high as 9000°F (5000°C). See also: Low-temperature physics
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