Three Ways To Levitate A Magic Carpet Reading Answers

Dec 8, 2022

Three Ways To Levitate A Magic Carpet Reading Answers is fictionary write up anout a magic carpet. This IELTS reading passage comprises of 13 questions, and candidates need to solve it within 20 minutes. Three Ways To Levitate A Magic Carpet Reading Answers comprises of question types such as; yes/no/not given and choose the correct option. Yes/no/not given can be solved by remembering the cases presented in the IELTS reading passage. In order to solve choose the correct option, candidates are required to remember the major keywords. For all the questions candidates will find appropriate cues. Candidates must ensure that they strictly abide by the word limits mentioned and not exceed them. There are numerous topics found in IELTS reading practice papers for practice.

Check: Get 10 Free Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Reading Passage Questions

It sounds like a science fiction joke, but it isn’t. What do you get when you turn an invisibility cloak on its side? A mini flying carpet. So say physicists who believe the same exotic materials used to make cloaking devices could also be used to levitate tiny objects. In a further breakthrough, two other research groups have come a step closer to cracking the mysteries of levitation.

Scientists have levitated objects before, most famously using powerful magnetic fields to levitate a frog. But that technique, using the repulsive force of a giant magnet, requires large amounts of energy. In contrast, the latest theories exploit the natural smaller amounts of energy produced by the quantum fluctuations of empty space.

In May 2006, two research teams led by Ulf Leonhardt at St Andrew’s University, UK, and John Pendry at Imperial College, London, independently proposed that an invisibility cloak could be created from exotic materials with abnormal optical properties. Such a cloaking device – working in the microwave region – was manufactured later that year.

The device was formed from so-called ‘meta materia Is’ exotic materials made from complex arrays of metal units and wires. The metal units are smaller than the wavelength of light and so the materials can be engineered to precisely control how electromagnetic light waves travel around them. They can transform space, tricking electromagnetic waves into moving along directions they otherwise wouldn’t,’says Leonhardt.

Leonhardt and his colleague Thomas Philbin, also at St Andrew’s University, realised that this property could also be exploited to levitate extremely small objects. They propose inserting a metamaterial between two so-called Casimir plates. When two such plates are brought very close together, the vacuum between them becomes filled with quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. As two plates are brought closer together, fewer fluctuations can occur within the gap between them, but on the outer sides of the plates, the fluctuations are unconstrained. This causes a pressure difference on either side of the plates, forcing the plates to stick together, in a phenomenon called the Casimir effect.

Leonhardt and Philbin believe that inserting a section of metamaterial between the plates will disrupt the quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. In particular, metamaterials have a negative refractive index, so that electromagnetic light waves entering a metamaterial bend in the opposite way than expected, says Leonhardt.That will cause the Casimir force to act in the opposite direction – forcing the upper plate to levitate. The work will appear in the New Journal of Physics.

Federico Capasso, an expert on the Casimir effect at Harvard University in Boston, is impressed.’Using metamaterials to reverse the Casimir effect is a very clever idea,’ he says.

However, he points out that because metamaterials are difficult to engineer, it’s unlikely that they could be used to levitate objects in the near future.

But there are good signs that quantum levitation could be achieved much sooner, by other methods. Umar Mohideen at the University of California Riverside and his colleagues have successfully manipulated the strength of the Casimir force by increasing the reflectivity of one of the plates, so that it reflects virtual particles more efficiently. Modifying the strength of the Casimir force is the first step towards reversing it, says team member Galina Klimchitskaya at North-West Technical University in St Petersburg, Russia.

Capasso and his colleagues have also been working on an alternative scheme to harness a repulsive Casimir effect Their calculations show that a repulsive Casimir force could be set up between a 42.7 micrometre-wide gold-coated polystyrene sphere and a silicon dioxide plate, if the two are immersed in ethanol. ‘Although the Casimir force between any two substances – the ethanol and gold, the gold and the silicon dioxide, or the silicon dioxide and the ethanol – is positive, the relative strengths of attraction are different, and when you combine the materials, you should see the gold sphere levitate,’ he says.

Capasso’s early experiments suggest that such repulsion could occur, and that in turn could be used to levitate one object above another.’It’s very early work, and we still need to make certain this is really happening, but we are slowly building up experimental evidence for quantum levitation,’says Capasso, who presented his results at a conference on Coherence and Quantum Optics in Rochester, New York, in June.

This is a very exciting experimental result because it is the first demonstration that we can engineer a repulsive Casimir force,’ says Leonhardt.

Solution and Explanation

Answers to Questions 1-5

Question 1: A mini flying carpet is a possibility according to some scientists

Answer: Yes
Supporting Sentence: What do you get when you turn an invisibility cloak on its side? A mini flying carpet? So say physicists who believe the same exotic materials used to make cloaking devices could also be used to levitate tiny objects.
Keyword: Mini flying carpet, physicist
Keyword location: 1st paragraph, 2nd line
Explanation: The first paragraph makes it clear what would happen if a flying carpet were turned into an invisibility cloak, and some physicists support this theory. Therefore, it is appropriate to select "Yes" as the response.

Question 2: Cloaking devices can be used for levitation:

Answer: No
Supporting Sentence: So say physicists who believe the same exotic materials used to make cloaking devices could also be used to levitate tiny objects.
Keyword: Cloaking device, levitation
Keyword location: 1st paragraph, 2nd line
Explanation: Since the exotic materials used to create cloaking devices might also be used for levitation, it can be inferred from the first paragraph that cloaking devices cannot be used to levitate objects because the unusual materials used to create them are also used for levitation. Therefore, the response is no.

Question 3: Scientists now know all about levitation

Answer: No
Supporting Sentence: In a further breakthrough, two other research groups have come a step closer to cracking the mysteries of levitation
Keyword:Step closer, cracking, levitation
Keyword location: 1st paragraph, 4th line
Explanation: According to the first paragraph, research teams are getting closer to unravelling the mysteries of levitation. As a result, not all of what scientists know about levitation. Therefore, the response is untrue.

Question 4: Things can be transported from one place to another using empty space technology

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: Nothing in the passage relates to the query. Nothing about "items that can be transferred from one place to another using empty space technology" has been mentioned.

Question 5: The most recent research into levitation has made use of large magnets

Answer: No
Supporting Sentence: Scientists have levitated objects before, most famously using powerful magnetic fields, but that technique, using repulsive force of a giant magnet, requires large amounts of energy. In contrast, the latest theories exploit the natural smaller amounts of energy produced by the quantum fluctuations of empty space.
Keyword: Levitated, before, that technique, in contrast, the latest theories
Keyword location: 2nd paragraph
Explanation: The second paragraph made clear that a lot of energy was needed to create the magnetic fields. Modern theories, however, emphasise the use of smaller amounts of energy for levitation. Therefore, the response is incorrect.

Answers to Questions 6 - 10:
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D

(Guide: Candidates need to properly study the passage, and select the correct options from the list of A to D)

Question: 6

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: In May 2006, two research teams led by Ulf Leonhardt at St. Andrew’s University, UK, and John Pendry at Imperial College, London, independently proposed that an invisibility cloak could be created from exotic materials with abnormal optical properties.
Keyword: Independently proposed
Keyword location: 3rd paragraph
Explanation: As can be inferred from the third sentence, the concept was independently put forth by John Pendry and Ulf Leonhard. Therefore, B is the right response.

Question: 7

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: The device was formed from so-called ‘meta materia Is’ exotic materials made from complex arrays of metal units and wires.The metal units are smaller than the wavelength of light and so the materials can be engineered to precisely control how electromagnetic light waves travel around them.
Keyword: Electromagnetic light waves, meta materia
Keyword location: 4th paragraph
Explanation: The dependence of the metamaterials on electromagnetic light waves can be inferred from the fourth paragraph.

Question: 8

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: This causes a pressure difference on either side of the plates, forcing them to stick together, in a phenomenon called the Casimir effect.
Keyword: Casimir effect, stick, pressure difference
Keyword location: 5th paragraph
Explanation: The Casimir effect is related to the pressure difference on the plates' sides, which causes them to adhere. Therefore, choosing option D for the answer, which reads "creates pressure difference and stickiness," is the appropriate choice.

Question: 9

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Leonhardt and Philbin believe that inserting a section of metamaterial will disrupt the quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. In particular, metamaterials have a negative refractive index, so that electromagnetic light waves entering a metamaterial bend in the opposite way than expected, says Leonhardt. This will cause the Casimir force to act in the opposite direction, forcing the upper plate to levitate.
Keyword: metamaterial, opposite
Keyword location: 6th paragraph
Explanation: According to the sixth paragraph, inserting metamaterials into the plates would cause the upper plate to rise above the lower plate. Therefore, choosing option A for the answer, which reads "cause the top plate to rise above the bottom plate," is the appropriate choice.

Question: 10

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: Modifying the strength of the Casimir force is the first step towards reversing it, says team member Galina Klimchitskiya at North-West Technical University in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Keyword: Strength, Casimir force
Keyword location: 9th paragraph, 4th line
Explanation: According to the ninth paragraph, changes must be made to the casimir force's strength in order to reverse it. The answer that was chosen, B, which reads "to help reverse the force," was chosen correctly.

Answers to Questions 11-13:

Question 11: Capasso is unconvinced that

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Frederick Capasso, an expert on the Casimir effect at Harvard University in Boston, is impressed. ‘Using metamaterials to reduce the Casimir effect is a very clever idea, he says.
However, he points out that because metamaterials are difficult to engineer, it’s unlikely that they could be used to levitate objects in the near future.
Keyword: Metamaterials, points out, near future
Keyword location: 7th and 8th paragraphs
Explanation: Capasso is not convinced that metamaterials can be utilised to lift objects over the long term, as may be inferred from the seventh and eighth paragraphs. He claims that it is a good idea to use metamaterials to lessen the Casimir effect. However, metamaterials won't be a good idea in the near future because they are difficult to engineer.Question: 12

Question 12: Capasso has calculated that

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Capasso and his colleagues have also been working on an alternative scheme to harness a repulsive Casimir effect. Their calculations show that a repulsive Casimir force could be set up between a 42.7 micrometre-wide gold-coated polystyrene sphere and a silicon dioxide plate, if the two are immersed in ethanol. Although the casimir force between any two substances- the ethanol and gold, the gold and the silicon dioxide, or the silicon dioxide and ethanol is positive, the relative strengths of attraction are different, and when you combine the materials, you should see the gold sphere levitate, he says.
Keyword: Capasso, calculations, gold
Keyword location: 10th paragraph
Explanation: According to Capasso's calculations, gold can levitate objects, and this is stated explicitly in the tenth paragraph. As a result, the chosen response A, "Gold can be used to produce levitation," is accurate.

Question 13: Capasso has admitted that

Answer: F
Supporting Sentence: ‘It’s very early work, and we still need to make certain this is really happening, but we are slowly building up experimental evidence for quantum levitation’ says Capasso, who presented his results at a conference on Coherence and Quantum Optics in Rochester, New York in June.
Keyword: Very early work
Keyword location: 11th paragraph, 2nd line
Explanation: It can be inferred from the eleventh paragraph, Capasso explicitly states that more work needs to be done.