Antimatter
From ImperialWiki
(Difference between revisions)
Darth Servo (Talk | contribs) m (inserting links) |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | '''Antimatter''' is much like normal matter, but its constituent particles carry the opposite electrical charge of their normal matter counterparts. Antiparticles can be created from energy in a particle accelerator, and they can form naturally during certain kinds of radioactive decay. | + | '''Antimatter''' is much like normal matter, but its constituent particles carry the opposite electrical charge of their normal matter counterparts. Antiparticles can be created from energy in a particle accelerator, and they can form naturally during certain kinds of [[radioactive decay]]. |
| − | *The anti-particle for the electron is the positron. It has the same mass as an electron, but it carries a positive charge instead of a negative charge. | + | *The anti-particle for the electron is the positron. It has the same mass as an [[electron]], but it carries a positive charge instead of a negative charge. |
| − | *The anti-particle for the proton is the antiproton. It has the same mass as a proton and a negative charge. | + | *The anti-particle for the proton is the antiproton. It has the same mass as a [[proton]] and a negative charge. |
| − | *The anti-particle for the neutron is the antineutron. It has the same mass as a neutron and carries no charge, but it will still annihilate a neutron because the antineutron itself is composed of charged antiquarks. | + | *The anti-particle for the neutron is the antineutron. It has the same mass as a [[neutron]] and carries no charge, but it will still annihilate a neutron because the antineutron itself is composed of charged antiquarks. |
*Smaller subatomic particles like quarks also have antiparticles. | *Smaller subatomic particles like quarks also have antiparticles. | ||
*Massless particles like photons generally don't have antiparticles. | *Massless particles like photons generally don't have antiparticles. | ||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
If a particle of matter comes into contact with its anti-particle, both will "annihilate" each other, converting their combined mass into energy. | If a particle of matter comes into contact with its anti-particle, both will "annihilate" each other, converting their combined mass into energy. | ||
| − | Antiparticles can chemically interact with each other in much the way ordinary particles do. For instance, an antiproton and a positron can combine to form anti-hydrogen. | + | Antiparticles can chemically interact with each other in much the way ordinary particles do. For instance, an antiproton and a positron can combine to form anti-[[hydrogen]]. |
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
Revision as of 17:37, 14 May 2008
Antimatter is much like normal matter, but its constituent particles carry the opposite electrical charge of their normal matter counterparts. Antiparticles can be created from energy in a particle accelerator, and they can form naturally during certain kinds of radioactive decay.
- The anti-particle for the electron is the positron. It has the same mass as an electron, but it carries a positive charge instead of a negative charge.
- The anti-particle for the proton is the antiproton. It has the same mass as a proton and a negative charge.
- The anti-particle for the neutron is the antineutron. It has the same mass as a neutron and carries no charge, but it will still annihilate a neutron because the antineutron itself is composed of charged antiquarks.
- Smaller subatomic particles like quarks also have antiparticles.
- Massless particles like photons generally don't have antiparticles.
If a particle of matter comes into contact with its anti-particle, both will "annihilate" each other, converting their combined mass into energy.
Antiparticles can chemically interact with each other in much the way ordinary particles do. For instance, an antiproton and a positron can combine to form anti-hydrogen.
