Condensed Matter Seminar Announcement Prof. Michael Marder University or Texas, Austin " How Things Break " Date: Thursday, May 19, 2005 Time: 4:10 pm 416 Physics/Geology Abstract: Every child learns early that brittle objects break easily. Yet on a bit of reflection the process should seem mysterious. Weak forces applied on large length scales spontaneously break strong bonds at the atomic scale. I will begin by discussing the basic science of breaking, and the engineering discipline that has grown up to explain it. Then I will move on to discuss some questions that require tools from statistical physics. These include: How can one start with forces between atoms and calculate crack properties? Why do cracks in plastic and glass go unstable? Why is popping a balloon always a shocking experience? And finally, How do cracks help test the foundations of materials science...and how sturdy are those foundations?

E-Mail: marder@chaos.ph.utexas.edu
Web Page: http://www.ph.utexas.edu/faculty/marder.html