Understanding Energy in Annihilation: Proton-Antiproton vs. Neutron-Antineutron

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter DaveSmith
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Annihilation Energy
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the energy released during proton-antiproton and neutron-antineutron annihilation. Proton-antiproton annihilation at rest releases approximately 1.88 GeV, while neutron-antineutron annihilation releases a total of 1.8 GeV, which is the combined rest energy of the two nucleons. The energy from these annihilations primarily goes into the production of mesons, with rapid decay often resulting in pions, electrons, photons, and neutrinos. The two-photon decay is noted to be rare in neutron-antineutron annihilation.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of particle physics concepts, specifically annihilation processes
  • Familiarity with energy units such as GeV (giga-electronvolts)
  • Knowledge of meson production and decay processes
  • Basic grasp of nucleon properties and interactions
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the decay processes of pions and their role in particle physics
  • Study the differences between baryon and meson interactions
  • Explore the implications of energy release in particle-antiparticle annihilation
  • Investigate the experimental methods used to observe neutron-antineutron annihilation
USEFUL FOR

Students in physics, particularly those studying particle physics, researchers interested in annihilation processes, and educators looking for detailed examples of energy release in particle interactions.

DaveSmith
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Hi there guys, this is my first post
I've just completed my first couple of semesters in BS in Applied physics, and Annihilation really amazes me, My question is

The proton antiproton annihilation at rest releases some 1.88 GeV energy
http://www.fnal.gov/pub/inquiring/questions/antimatter1.html

But does neutron antineutron annihilation releases 1.8 GeV energy overall or with each of the two photons it produces have 1.8 GeV energy?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron-antineutron_annihilation
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
The energy released by proton antiproton annihilation or neutron antineutron annihilation goes into the energy of particles that are produced in the final state. The two photon decay is rare. Most of the time the final particles are mesons.
 
Yes but can you refer to the wikipedia link I've given and narrate the energy release part in neutron-antineutron annihilation? Is it 1.8 GeV overall or with each of the two photons releasing 1.8 GeV separately?
 
Meir Achuz said:
The energy released by proton antiproton annihilation or neutron antineutron annihilation goes into the energy of particles that are produced in the final state. The two photon decay is rare. Most of the time the final particles are mesons.

So you'd have rapid decay to electrons, photons, and neutrinos... or just photons and electrons?
 
DaveSmith said:
Yes but can you refer to the wikipedia link I've given and narrate the energy release part in neutron-antineutron annihilation? Is it 1.8 GeV overall or with each of the two photons releasing 1.8 GeV separately?
It is 1.8 GeV overall, which is the rest energy of two nucleons.
 
nismaratwork said:
So you'd have rapid decay to electrons, photons, and neutrinos... or just photons and electrons?
The rapid decay is mostly to pi mesons.
 
Meir Achuz said:
The rapid decay is mostly to pi mesons.

Ooooh... right. OK, I can take pion decay from there... thanks Meir Achuz!
 
Yes of course...thanks Meir Achuz
 

Similar threads

Graduate How Does Proton-Antiproton Annihilation Energy Compare at Rest and at 2 GeV?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
Graduate My dilemma with protons/antiprotons and neutrons/antineutrons
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Undergrad Simple energy release question
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Graduate Is Proton-Antiproton Annihilation Energy Conservation Still a Mystery?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
4K
Undergrad Nucleus energy levels, neutron energy
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
4K
Undergrad Does the Higgs Field Consist of Higgs Bosons?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Graduate What Happens to Neutrons in Matter/Anti-Matter Annihilation?
  • · Replies 57 ·
2
Replies
57
Views
8K
Undergrad How Does Beta Decay Relate to the Role of W Bosons in Weak Nuclear Force?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
High School Account for Coulomb repulsion in nuclear fission energy?
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
Graduate Accelerating protons and antiprotons for pair production?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
1K