Q21 · UPPSC current affairs · 15 September 2026 · PIB · Thallium Copper Selenide Wave Like Heat Transport Thermoelectric Energy Conversion

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Consider the following statements regarding phonons and thermal transport in materials like Thallium Copper Selenide:1.Phonons are quasiparticles that represent quantum mechanical lattice vibrations transporting thermal energy.2.Thallium Copper Selenide (TlCu5Se3) exhibits unusually high lattice thermal conductivity due to the absence of wave-like heat transport.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A 1 only
B 2 only
C Both 1 and 2
D Neither 1 nor 2

Correct answer: (a) 1 only

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as phonons represent quantum mechanical lattice vibrations transporting thermal energy. Statement 2 is incorrect because the material exhibits ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity driven by an unusual wave-like heat transport phenomenon, not high thermal conductivity.

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