Anti-matter and thermodynamics

AI Thread Summary
When a particle of matter collides with its corresponding antimatter, they annihilate each other, but this process does not violate the laws of thermodynamics. The energy from the annihilation is transformed rather than destroyed, maintaining the overall energy balance in the universe. The creation and destruction of matter-antimatter pairs are consistent with these laws, as they involve energy conversion rather than loss. This means that while matter is destroyed, the energy remains conserved. Understanding this principle clarifies why such interactions do not contradict thermodynamic laws.
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if a particle of matter and anit-matter collide they are annihilated.
Does this violate the laws of thermodynamics? Got to thinking about it while reading a brief history of the universe.
 
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In what way would it violate the laws of thermodynamics?
 
nicksauce said:
In what way would it violate the laws of thermodynamics?

Because it's matter being destroyed. I'm actually curious, too, if anyone cares to answer: why doesn't the creation/destruction of matter/antimatter pairs violate the laws of thermodynamics? I guess it might not change the overall amount of energy that exists...still, I don't really get what the deal is with those new matter/antimatter pairs.
 
ouch2112 said:
Because it's matter being destroyed. I'm actually curious, too, if anyone cares to answer: why doesn't the creation/destruction of matter/antimatter pairs violate the laws of thermodynamics? I guess it might not change the overall amount of energy that exists...still, I don't really get what the deal is with those new matter/antimatter pairs.

Welcome to PF. This is quite an old thread, posting on threads that no one has commented on for years isn't really desirable.

But to answer your question there is no violation because no energy is being created or destroyed, merely changed from one form to another.
 

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