How much energy does annihilation take?

In summary, when mixing matter with antimatter, energy is released according to the equation e=mc2. However, in the case of charged particles, they attract each other due to their opposite charges. The issue with matter and antimatter is not the energy needed to bring them together, but the energy needed to keep them apart. To prevent spontaneous annihilation, magnetic bottles are used, which require energy.
  • #1
Karimspencer
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Many people say that when mixing matter with anti-matter , energy is released according to e=mc2 however how much energy does it take to mix matter with antimatter which leads to annihilation .
 
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  • #2
It does not require energy. In the case of charged particles, they even attract each other as they have opposite charge.
 
  • #3
The problem with matter and antimatter is not the amount of energy you need to expend to get them to come together - the problem is the amount of energy you need to expend to get them to keep them apart.

Both matter and antimatter will happily float around and come into physical contact with each other (including the walls of the container or any air in it), whereupon annihilation will occur spontaneously. To stop this from happening the moment you create any amount of anti-matter, you must devise a way of keeping it away from matter. This is usually done with magnetic bottles. Which require energy.
 

1. What is annihilation?

Annihilation is a process in which a particle and its antiparticle collide and convert their mass into energy.

2. How is energy released during annihilation?

During annihilation, the particle and antiparticle annihilate each other, producing photons (particles of light) as a result. These photons carry energy, which was previously stored as the mass of the particle and antiparticle.

3. What is the equation for calculating the energy released during annihilation?

The equation for calculating the energy released during annihilation is E = mc2, where E is the energy, m is the mass, and c is the speed of light.

4. How much energy is typically released during annihilation?

The amount of energy released during annihilation depends on the masses of the particle and antiparticle involved. However, in most cases, a large amount of energy is released. For example, when an electron and a positron (the antiparticle of an electron) annihilate, 1.02 MeV (megaelectron volts) of energy is released.

5. Can annihilation be harnessed as a source of energy?

Yes, annihilation can potentially be harnessed as a source of energy. However, the technology to do so is currently not available, and it would require a highly controlled and efficient method of creating and containing particle-antiparticle collisions. Currently, nuclear fission and fusion are more practical sources of energy.

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