How much energy is lost due to neutrinos in matter-antimatter reaction ?

In summary, matter-antimatter annihilation is not as efficient as previously thought due to a significant amount of energy carried away by neutrinos. The exact percentage of lost energy compared to the energy calculated from E=mc^2 depends on the setup, but it is significant for the annihilation of nucleons. Electron-positron annihilation does not involve any energy losses as it produces photons. Despite previous discussions, there is no clear conclusion on the exact percentage, but it is estimated to be between 20% and 80%. Saying 50% is a reasonable approximation.
  • #1
Hurricane93
19
0
I read that matter-antimatter annihilation is not as useful as we thought because a large amount of energy is carried away by neutrinos. So, how much is this energy ? What is the percentage of the lost energy to the energy calculated from E=mc^2 ?
 
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  • #2
We had this discussion a while ago here. It depends on the setup, but the fraction is significant for the annihilation of nucleons.
Electron-positron annihilation gives (nearly always) photons, so there are no losses involved.
 
  • #3
After reading every single post, I still don't have a conclusion.
I just need a rough percentage. Would saying 50% be wrong ?
 
  • #4
It is the correct order of magnitude :). Something between 20% and 80%.
 

1. How do neutrinos contribute to energy loss in matter-antimatter reactions?

Neutrinos are particles that have very little mass and interact very weakly with matter. When matter and antimatter collide, they produce a large amount of energy, which is mostly in the form of other particles such as photons and electron-positron pairs. However, a small amount of energy is also carried away by the neutrinos that are produced in the reaction. This contributes to the overall energy loss in the reaction.

2. How is the amount of energy lost due to neutrinos calculated in matter-antimatter reactions?

The amount of energy lost due to neutrinos in a matter-antimatter reaction is calculated using the laws of conservation of energy and momentum. The initial and final energies and momenta of all particles involved in the reaction are taken into account, including the energy and momentum carried away by the neutrinos.

3. Is the amount of energy lost due to neutrinos significant in matter-antimatter reactions?

The amount of energy lost due to neutrinos in matter-antimatter reactions is relatively small compared to the total energy released in the reaction. However, it is still an important factor to consider in understanding the complete energy balance of the reaction.

4. Can the energy lost due to neutrinos be recovered in any way?

Currently, there is no known way to recover the energy lost due to neutrinos in matter-antimatter reactions. However, scientists are actively researching and exploring ways to harness this energy in the future.

5. How do neutrinos affect the overall efficiency of matter-antimatter reactions?

Since neutrinos carry away a small amount of energy in matter-antimatter reactions, they can slightly reduce the overall efficiency of the reaction. However, this effect is negligible compared to other factors such as the efficiency of particle accelerators used to produce and collide matter and antimatter particles.

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