Can somebody explain antimatter to me and what significance it has?
QUOTE (La.Mente.Sfrenata.+Dec 11 2007, 07:29 PM)
Can somebody explain antimatter to me and what significance it has?
Antimatter is just like normal matter, only it's charge is the opposite.
So the antimatter electron (the positron) has a positive charge. The antimatter proton (the anti-proton) has a negative charge and so on...
The significance it has is kind of a vague area...
When an antimatter particle and it's normal matter counterpart come into contact, they annihilate each other, releasing all of their collective mass as energy. This has great potential in several areas. The most prominent example (and the only currently useful example I can think of at the moment) is the use of positrons in medicine.
Ever had a PET scan? That stands for Positron Emission Tomography, and it's a great tool in diagnostics. See Positron Emission Tomography for more info on how it works.
Antimatter might also prove useful one day as a fuel source. Since it's reaction with normal matter causes ALL of the mass of the interacting particles to be converted to energy, it is a far more efficient means of producing power. Consider that matter-antimatter reactions would produce something along the lines of 10 orders of magnitude more energy than a chemical reaction (such as a gasoline or natural gas engine,) that's 10,000,000,000 times as much energy per unit of fuel! One gallon of gas would run a hummer or a tricked out muscle car for ninety billion miles. Kinda makes a hybrid look dumb, don't it?
I tried to keep it as simple as possible, but check out these links:
Wikipedia - Antimatter
HyperPhysics - Antiparticles
CERN - Antimatter
Space.com - Antimatter
Antimatter is just like normal matter, only it's charge is the opposite.
So the antimatter electron (the positron) has a positive charge. The antimatter proton (the anti-proton) has a negative charge and so on...
The significance it has is kind of a vague area...
When an antimatter particle and it's normal matter counterpart come into contact, they annihilate each other, releasing all of their collective mass as energy. This has great potential in several areas. The most prominent example (and the only currently useful example I can think of at the moment) is the use of positrons in medicine.
Ever had a PET scan? That stands for Positron Emission Tomography, and it's a great tool in diagnostics. See Positron Emission Tomography for more info on how it works.
Antimatter might also prove useful one day as a fuel source. Since it's reaction with normal matter causes ALL of the mass of the interacting particles to be converted to energy, it is a far more efficient means of producing power. Consider that matter-antimatter reactions would produce something along the lines of 10 orders of magnitude more energy than a chemical reaction (such as a gasoline or natural gas engine,) that's 10,000,000,000 times as much energy per unit of fuel! One gallon of gas would run a hummer or a tricked out muscle car for ninety billion miles. Kinda makes a hybrid look dumb, don't it?
I tried to keep it as simple as possible, but check out these links:
Wikipedia - Antimatter
HyperPhysics - Antiparticles
CERN - Antimatter
Space.com - Antimatter
Antimatter is an example of a real physical entity that is conveyed by a formalism that uses imaginary numbers.
QUOTE (HawkingBrain+Dec 13 2007, 05:27 PM)
Antimatter is an example of a real physical entity that is conveyed by a formalism that uses imaginary numbers.
HawkingBrain is an example of a real conceptual forum member that is conveyed by an individual that uses imaginary qualifications
HawkingBrain is an example of a real conceptual forum member that is conveyed by an individual that uses imaginary qualifications
BigDumbWeirdo,
Great explanation dealing with antimatter and the resource's you gave should be of service. If I may I would like to add a different perspective for thought. I positively could not add anything to what you have stated.
As it has been explained by BigDumbWeirdo is correct, but maybe if you would go back to as far as we believe we understand the beggining of the universe and occurrence both matter and antimatter out of a tenuous beginning for a material universe, because matter, and antimatter do not easily coexist as explained byBDW.
When you have identical mass but diametrically opposed in other attributes, a particle and its antiparticle annihilate on contact and return to the energy whence they came.
La.Mente.Sfrenata., if not for the mechanics of the (Big Bang) we have an excess of matter over antimatter at the start.
If this had been not the case, the universe would have never evolved beyond a burst of pure energy.
I hope this will crystallize some ideas you might have. BigDumbWeirdo will correct if any flaws are in this explanation.
dawn
Great explanation dealing with antimatter and the resource's you gave should be of service. If I may I would like to add a different perspective for thought. I positively could not add anything to what you have stated.
As it has been explained by BigDumbWeirdo is correct, but maybe if you would go back to as far as we believe we understand the beggining of the universe and occurrence both matter and antimatter out of a tenuous beginning for a material universe, because matter, and antimatter do not easily coexist as explained byBDW.
When you have identical mass but diametrically opposed in other attributes, a particle and its antiparticle annihilate on contact and return to the energy whence they came.
La.Mente.Sfrenata., if not for the mechanics of the (Big Bang) we have an excess of matter over antimatter at the start.
If this had been not the case, the universe would have never evolved beyond a burst of pure energy.
QUOTE
Can somebody explain antimatter to me and what significance it has?
I hope this will crystallize some ideas you might have. BigDumbWeirdo will correct if any flaws are in this explanation.
dawn
I wonder why someone would designate himself "Bigdumbwierdo,"?—be nice to yourself.
The anti-matter question is fascinating, and the point you make about the universe not being able to be what it is without some "separation" principle is precisely what led me to believe that there must be an inherent geometry in the universe that causes this separation of matter from anti-matter: in this way, I was led to my theory of the "conic" structure of either a) the entire cosmos; or b) some subset of the cosmos or "multi-verse," if one accepts any version of many worlds.
Thence, I was led to my linking of these concepts to the Riemann hypothesis: if the separation principle ends up being the very logical structure of the way light is constrained to move—i.e., if the double-slit experiment represents in micro, what I suspect to be the case at the macro level of the cosmos:— that is a quantum constucted black hole (see Dr. Strnglass' fascinating "Before the Big Bang" and Lee Smolin, "The life of the Cosmos"—then the separation of matter and anti-matter is a consequence of the geometric design—by either God, demi-god, or chance—of our cosmos, thus allowing there to be both a particle and wave state of matter (as I attempt to explain in my essays).
Further, the importance of the separation, necessitated by the geometry of the cosmos or sub-cosmos (see Hawking), potentially ever expanding, might be the source of a matrix (see Heisenberg "Matrix Mechanics") or gridlike distribution of the infinity of the primes, and thus fundametally connected to the Riemann hyopothesis:—
Each space time point of the matter/anti-matter light cone having its corresponding point on the opposite matter/anti-matterl ight cone: Thus giving a rational grounding to the distribution of the prime numbers as well as a topographical explanation why they cancel exactly and produce zeros in accord with the zeta function—itself built into the periodic motion of the hydrogen nucleus, and the hypothesized composite structure I have suggested (Neutrino, electron, and positron) or some viable alternative?
The anti-matter question is fascinating, and the point you make about the universe not being able to be what it is without some "separation" principle is precisely what led me to believe that there must be an inherent geometry in the universe that causes this separation of matter from anti-matter: in this way, I was led to my theory of the "conic" structure of either a) the entire cosmos; or b) some subset of the cosmos or "multi-verse," if one accepts any version of many worlds.
Thence, I was led to my linking of these concepts to the Riemann hypothesis: if the separation principle ends up being the very logical structure of the way light is constrained to move—i.e., if the double-slit experiment represents in micro, what I suspect to be the case at the macro level of the cosmos:— that is a quantum constucted black hole (see Dr. Strnglass' fascinating "Before the Big Bang" and Lee Smolin, "The life of the Cosmos"—then the separation of matter and anti-matter is a consequence of the geometric design—by either God, demi-god, or chance—of our cosmos, thus allowing there to be both a particle and wave state of matter (as I attempt to explain in my essays).
Further, the importance of the separation, necessitated by the geometry of the cosmos or sub-cosmos (see Hawking), potentially ever expanding, might be the source of a matrix (see Heisenberg "Matrix Mechanics") or gridlike distribution of the infinity of the primes, and thus fundametally connected to the Riemann hyopothesis:—
Each space time point of the matter/anti-matter light cone having its corresponding point on the opposite matter/anti-matterl ight cone: Thus giving a rational grounding to the distribution of the prime numbers as well as a topographical explanation why they cancel exactly and produce zeros in accord with the zeta function—itself built into the periodic motion of the hydrogen nucleus, and the hypothesized composite structure I have suggested (Neutrino, electron, and positron) or some viable alternative?
I really am uncertan on the whole antimatter ahnialation theory for many reasons: when you make a molecule, it is neutral in charge unless there are more or less electrons. Wouldn't antimatter be similarly neutrall in charge? How do you know what a substance will do if you dont have any? And what would happen if an antimeteor (meteor made of antimatter) hit earth?
-Roan
A positron is but one example of an anti-matter particle. Anti-protons, and positrons can be put together to make anti-hydrogen. Anti-neutrons, without charge, also exist, being made up of anti-quarks (which have inverted charge). Antimatter of any significance hasn't been made. It's hard enough to make anti-Hydrogen.
One theory is that positrons are electrons going backwards in time. (Feynman-Stueckelberg Interpretation). One cool result of that is that after the big bang matter went forward in time, antimatter backwards, and that explains why no antimatter around now.
http://arxiv.org/html/physics/9812021
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiparticle#..._interpretation
In his QED lecture, Feynman says "Every particle in Nature has an amplitude to move backwards in time, and therefore has an anti-particle." A photon is its own anti particle.
Regarding applications of anti-matter, CERN makes antimatter, and they say
"If we could assemble all of the antimatter we've ever made at CERN and annihilate it with matter, we would have enough energy to light a single electric light bulb for a few minutes"
One theory is that positrons are electrons going backwards in time. (Feynman-Stueckelberg Interpretation). One cool result of that is that after the big bang matter went forward in time, antimatter backwards, and that explains why no antimatter around now.
http://arxiv.org/html/physics/9812021
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiparticle#..._interpretation
In his QED lecture, Feynman says "Every particle in Nature has an amplitude to move backwards in time, and therefore has an anti-particle." A photon is its own anti particle.
Regarding applications of anti-matter, CERN makes antimatter, and they say
"If we could assemble all of the antimatter we've ever made at CERN and annihilate it with matter, we would have enough energy to light a single electric light bulb for a few minutes"
but our body is constantly producing positrons through the free-radical proteins, how couild the ypossibly be going back in time?
QUOTE (roam+Dec 31 2007, 07:52 PM)
but our body is constantly producing positrons through the free-radical proteins, how couild the ypossibly be going back in time?
Oh, no.
A positively or negatively charged ion has nothing at all to do with positrons or antiprotons. FGS!
Trippy, you can help this poor soul in a much more eloquent fashion than I, if you don't mind.
Oh, no.
A positively or negatively charged ion has nothing at all to do with positrons or antiprotons. FGS!Trippy, you can help this poor soul in a much more eloquent fashion than I, if you don't mind.
Positive IONs (molecules or atoms with positive charge) are atoms or molecules that have fewer electrons than what is required for neutral charge. They are normal matter.
Negative IONs (molecules or atoms with negative charge) are atoms or molecules that have more electrons than what is required for neutral charge. They are normal matter.
Electrons are a basic atomic particle made up of quarks (by one model) that exhibit a negative electric charge. They are normal matter.
Positrons are a basic atomic anti-particle made up of anti-quarks that exhibit a positive negative charge. They are anti-matter. They are produced by high energy nuclear events.
Nothing in your body produces positrons.
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