high-pressure physics

High-pressure physics studies how materials and matter behave when subjected to extremely high pressures, often millions of times greater than atmospheric pressure. Under such conditions, atoms are forced closer together, which can alter a material’s structure, properties, and even create new phases or states of matter. This field helps scientists understand planetary interiors, develop new materials with unique properties, and explore fundamental physics principles. Techniques like diamond anvil cells are used to generate and study these pressures, revealing insights into the behavior of matter under extreme environments that are otherwise inaccessible.