Zero point energy vs absolute zero temperature?

[anotherlife]

I admit I should be ashamed of myself for not understanding this. I am a maths student, I should know this but I don't. Do you know this? I understand that there is an absolute zero temperature, called zero kelvin, which is -273 Celsius degrees. Nothing in the world can be colder than that, the absolute zero temperature.

But we also know that temperature is exactly thermal energy, the energy of motion of molecules of any material. So the absolute zero temperature then would mean an exact amount of energy of motion, a zero point energy.

However, every scientist says that there is no zero point energy and even if there was one it would be unmeasurable. Surely we can measure temperature. And if temperature is motion, then we just need to keep knocking out fast molecules out of a volume of gas, until only a few stationary ones are left. Then the energy of those are the zero point energy. Too bad my logic doesn't work. What is the truth?

Discuss.

 

[miketx]

At absolute zero there is no molecular motion. Normal matter ceases to behave as we expect it too. Simply stated, this can open doors to other places, but a temperature that low has never been achieved.We may not want to know what's out there.

 

[yiostheoy]

Theoretical only.