Annihilation of Matter/Antimatter

In summary, when antimatter and matter come into contact, they produce a number of particles that will interact with surrounding material. This system may work using both anti-neutrons, and p-bars.
  • #1
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When anti matter and matter come into contact do they only annihilate each other leaving everything else undisturbed? Or does the resulting energy destroy/tear apart nearby particles?

The reason I ask, assuming that the result is the former, if antimatter were to be harnessed could anti-neutrons be fired at a radioactive element (say Uranium), getting rid of neutrons but leaving the protons undisturbed (so it stays Uranium) until it reaches a stable ratio of protons and neutrons.

I realize this is currently impossible with our means, but in theory could it work? I couldn't find any discussion of this elsewhere on the internet.
 
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  • #2
How much matter-antimatter are we talking about?
Two particles of matter-antimatter won't cause too much fuss.
 
  • #3
When antimatter and matter annihilate, they produce a number of other particles, such as gamma rays. These products of the reaction WILL interact with surrounding material. I would say off the top of my head that no, you could not use antimatter to get rid of single neutrons in an atom without disturbing anything else. How much disturbance you would get I do not know though.
 
  • #4
the properties of neutrons and anti-neutrons are different as much as i know...so i doubt that it would work even in theory...
 
  • #5
Since Uranium has no stable isotopes, even if you used a magic wand to add or remove neutrons this would not work.
 
  • #6
of course the reaction would produce 2 photons of gamma. since gamma is ionizing radiation, the disturbance is always possible.
but I'm not sure if it possible to annihilate neutron inside radionuclide in this way.
 
  • #7
Okay, first of all what type of Antimatter and what type of matter are you talking about?;what are the charge patterns?
 
  • #8
Vanadium 50 said:
Uranium has no stable isotopes

Could this system work using both anti-neutrons, and p-bars?
 
  • #9
Yes, but it really depends on what matter you want to make
 
  • #10
May I ask how would you force other matter's charges outward
 

1. What is the difference between matter and antimatter?

Matter and antimatter are essentially the same, except for the electrical charge. Matter is made up of particles with a positive charge, such as protons, and particles with a negative charge, such as electrons. Antimatter, on the other hand, is made up of particles with the opposite charge, such as antiprotons and positrons.

2. How does the annihilation of matter and antimatter occur?

Annihilation occurs when a particle of matter and a particle of antimatter collide with each other. When this happens, they completely destroy each other and release a large amount of energy in the form of gamma rays. This process is described by Einstein's famous equation E=mc^2, where E represents energy, m represents mass, and c is the speed of light.

3. Can matter and antimatter be created or destroyed?

According to the law of conservation of energy, matter and antimatter cannot be created or destroyed. They can only be converted into each other. This means that when matter and antimatter annihilate, the same amount of energy is created as the combined mass of the particles.

4. What are the potential applications of the annihilation of matter and antimatter?

The annihilation of matter and antimatter has been studied for its potential use in energy production. However, the process is extremely difficult to control and harness, making it currently impractical for practical applications. It is also used in medical imaging techniques, such as positron emission tomography (PET) scans.

5. Is the annihilation of matter and antimatter dangerous?

In small amounts, the annihilation of matter and antimatter is not dangerous and occurs naturally in our bodies. However, if a significant amount of antimatter were to come into contact with matter, it could release a large amount of energy and potentially cause harm. This is why scientists take extreme precautions when studying antimatter in a controlled environment.

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