What happens when matter and antimatter collide?

In summary, when matter and antimatter annihilate, they release energy in the form of photons. The specific reaction depends on the type of particles involved, with electrons and positrons producing two gamma ray photons and proton and anti-proton collisions resulting in gamma ray photons and neutral mesons. However, in larger amounts, the initial reactions may not result in a 100% annihilation. High energy collisions can also produce varying outcomes. More information can be found online through sources such as Wikipedia and Google.
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Rock987
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Sorry I was unsure where to post this so I hope its ok posting it here.

I'm an aspiring author and looking to writing a book with a space/sci-fi theme. Now I understand a lot about antimatter but what I don't know is the exact reaction that happens or the conditions. What I would like to ask is this...

What reaction happens when matter and antimatter annihilate? Is this pure energy? Is there any kinetic force? Does this reaction get effected by changes in pressure, presence of a vacuum or within an atmosphere?

I'm trying to develop a realistic antimatter engine for my book I am writing, and would like to know the conditions and effects of antimatter and matter collisions.

Thanks
 
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  • #2
Give one particle of matter annihilating with one particle of antimatter, everything is released ultimately in the form of photons. (At least for annihilations at rest or at low energies) For example, an electron and positron annihilation results directly in the production of two gamma ray photons. Proton-anti proton annihilation on the other hand produces a gamma ray photon and a neutral meson which then decay to two photons, or it can simply produce two gamma ray photons.

However, if you took a significant amount of antimatter and matter, the initial reactions would impart energy into the remaining matter and antimatter and result in a less than 100% annihilation. This is similar to how a nuclear warhead will have a large part of its plutoniam or uranium blown away from the blast before being able to fission.

High energy collisions would result in a different outcome which varies greatly with the amount of energy.

You can find out more online at wikipedia or by searching google.
 

FAQ: What happens when matter and antimatter collide?

What is anti-matter?

Anti-matter is a type of matter that is composed of particles with the opposite charge as their normal matter counterparts. For example, an anti-electron (also known as a positron) has a positive charge instead of a negative charge like a regular electron.

How is anti-matter created?

Anti-matter can be created through high energy collisions, such as those that occur in particle accelerators. It can also be produced through natural processes, such as radioactive decay.

What are the potential uses of anti-matter?

Anti-matter has potential uses in medical imaging and cancer treatment, as well as in propulsion systems for space travel. It may also have potential applications in energy production.

What is the difference between anti-matter and dark matter?

Anti-matter is composed of particles with the opposite charge as their normal matter counterparts, while dark matter is a hypothetical type of matter that does not interact with light and has not been directly observed. Additionally, anti-matter can be created and studied in laboratory settings, while dark matter is thought to make up a significant portion of the universe's mass and can only be inferred through its gravitational effects.

What are the challenges of studying anti-matter?

One of the main challenges of studying anti-matter is that it is highly unstable and quickly annihilates upon contact with regular matter. This makes it difficult to contain and study in large quantities. Additionally, creating and storing anti-matter requires a lot of energy and resources.

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