Antimatter - a kind of a matter?

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    Antimatter Matter
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the nature of antimatter and its relationship to ordinary matter, exploring whether antimatter can be considered a type of matter. Participants examine concepts related to conservation laws and the properties of matter-antimatter pairs.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that antimatter can be viewed as a type of matter that is "charged opposit" to its corresponding matter particle.
  • Another participant agrees, stating that antimatter is essentially the same as ordinary matter, with every particle replaced by its antiparticle.
  • A participant inquires whether the mass of antimatter particles is the same as that of their matter counterparts.
  • It is affirmed that the mass of matter-antimatter pairs is generally the same, with differences only in charge and spin.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the similarity in mass between matter and antimatter particles, but the broader implications of antimatter's classification remain open to interpretation.

Contextual Notes

There is an acknowledgment that while energy conservation is upheld, the conservation of mass is not necessarily applicable in this context, which may lead to further exploration of definitions and assumptions regarding these concepts.

matt010nj
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I've been reading posts (already existing) about antimatter and someone wrote "Matter/antimatter collisions, appear to me, to violate the Law of conservation of matter and energy". I've learned from the answers and understand - its not true.
I think now,that antimatter may be considered as kind of a matter just "charged opposit" to particular "sister" piece of a matter. Am I wrong?
Thanks
Matt
 
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Yes, that is basically correct. Antimatter is exactly the same thing as ordinary matter, expect that you've replaced every particle with its antiparticle.
Also, there is no law that says that MASS has to be conserved (it isn't!), but energy is as you say always conserved.
 
Thanks.
Is that also generally true that mass of antimatter's particle is the same as its "sister" matter particle?
 
Yes. The mass is generally the same for the matter-antimatter pairs. In fact, everything is the same, except for the charge and spin. They are, of course, opposite.
 

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