Matter and Antimatter - Gravity

In summary, according to current accepted cosmological theory, the gravitational field after the annihilation of matter and antimatter was radiated away as gravity waves.
  • #1
Keijo
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Matter and Antimatter,

I have always wondered what happens with regard to the gravitational field when matter and antimatter annihilate each other.
Consensus among physicists is that matter and antimatter behave the same as far as gravitational potential is concerned, i.e., both will attract matter and antimatter, so that a particle of antimatter would fall toward the Earth and not fly off to space.
According to the currently accepted cosmological theory, essentially equal amounts of matter and antimatter were initially created in the big bang.
Matter and antimatter promptly annihilated each other but there was an imbalance in favor of matter by about one part in a billion. This imbalance is what was left and now constitutes all the matter in our universe.
The radiation that resulted from the annihilation is now dissipated with the expanding universe, and is now seen as the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation.

But what about the gravity?
In the Big Bang, was there briefly the gravitational field of a billion additional universes before the annihilation took place?

The possibilities seem to be:
No there was not. This means that after annihilation there was also no residual gravitational field, in which case, contrary to what we currently believe, maybe matter and antimatter do in fact have opposite gravitational potentials.
Yes there was. This would mean that after the annihilation the naked gravitational field was radiated away as gravity waves. Maybe those gravitational waves, fields/potentials are still out there somewhere and can be detected or measured similar to the CMB
The question is, what would this residue look like today and how would we go about looking for it?

Any clarifications from you physicists or cosmologists?

Thanks and cheers,
Keijo
 
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  • #2
Keijo said:
But what about the gravity?
In the Big Bang, was there briefly the gravitational field of a billion additional universes before the annihilation took place?

By E=mc^2, the two (free energy and mass) are equivalent so the same gravitational effects would be observed regardless of whether or not it was particles or free energy.
 
  • #3
Thanks Nabeshin.
I take it then, that the observed mass of stars,galaxies and dust, accounts for only a tiny fraction of the gravitational field holding back the expansion of the universe.
By far the strongest effect (by nine orders of magnitude) is the gravitational effect of the residual CMB radiation.
Is this what current accepted cosmolgical theory contends?
 

1. What is the difference between matter and antimatter?

Matter and antimatter are essentially the same, with one key difference: they have opposite electric charges. Matter has a positive charge, while antimatter has a negative charge. This charge difference causes them to interact differently with other particles, leading to their unique properties.

2. How does the concept of symmetry play a role in the study of matter and antimatter?

The concept of symmetry is central to the study of matter and antimatter. In particle physics, there is a fundamental symmetry between matter and antimatter called charge-parity (CP) symmetry. This means that if a particle and its antiparticle are swapped, the laws of physics should remain unchanged. However, scientists have observed a slight violation of CP symmetry, which is still not fully understood.

3. How does gravity affect matter and antimatter differently?

Gravity affects matter and antimatter in the same way. Both matter and antimatter have mass, and therefore are affected by the force of gravity. However, because they have opposite charges, they can have different interactions with electric and magnetic fields, which can affect their motion. This is known as the gravitational interaction.

4. Can matter and antimatter annihilate each other?

Yes, matter and antimatter can annihilate each other. When a particle of matter meets its corresponding antiparticle, they can destroy each other, releasing a large amount of energy in the process. This phenomenon is used in particle accelerators to study the properties of matter and antimatter.

5. How does the study of matter and antimatter help us understand the universe?

The study of matter and antimatter is crucial in understanding the fundamental laws of the universe. By studying their interactions and properties, scientists can gain insight into the origins and evolution of the universe. Additionally, the study of antimatter can help us understand the imbalance between matter and antimatter in the universe, which is a major unsolved mystery in physics.

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