Does antimatter have positive or negative mass?

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SUMMARY

The forum discussion centers on the mass properties of antimatter, specifically whether it possesses positive or negative mass. Participants argue that antimatter, such as positrons, has positive mass due to the energy produced during annihilation with electrons, which generates photons with positive energy. However, the concept of black holes and Hawking radiation introduces complexity, suggesting that positrons may exhibit negative mass when absorbed by black holes. Ultimately, the consensus leans towards antimatter having positive mass, despite the nuances introduced by black hole physics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of particle physics, specifically positrons and electrons.
  • Familiarity with black hole thermodynamics and Hawking radiation.
  • Knowledge of energy-mass equivalence as described by Einstein's theory.
  • Basic grasp of virtual particles and their role in quantum mechanics.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of Hawking radiation on black hole mass loss.
  • Study the properties of virtual particles and their significance in quantum field theory.
  • Explore the concept of mass-energy equivalence in greater detail.
  • Investigate current theories regarding antimatter and its role in the universe.
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Physicists, students of theoretical physics, and anyone interested in the fundamental properties of antimatter and black hole dynamics.

MikeL#
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Black holes suggest anti-matter has negative matter but is this true?
I think anti-matter has positive mass - e.g. a positron and electron annihilate giving off 0.5MeV + 0.5MeV photons where these photons have a huge positive energy. If the positron had negative mass then there would be no 1.0MeV of photon energy created.
But when 'explaining' evaporating black holes (e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawking_radiation#Overview)- matter [e.g. electron] and corresponding anti-matter [positron] are created out of 'the vacuum', If the electron is ejected, then the positron is absorbed in the black hole which loses mass. In this case the positron mass is negative.
So does anti-matter have positive or negative mass-energy or both?
 
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MikeL# said:
Black holes suggest anti-matter has negative matter
They do not.
MikeL# said:
I think anti-matter has positive mass
That is the expectation of basically everyone.
MikeL# said:
But when 'explaining' evaporating black holes (e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawking_radiation#Overview)- matter [e.g. electron] and corresponding anti-matter [positron] are created out of 'the vacuum'
That is a problematic pop-science description, not the actual physics.
If an electron escapes, there is no positron involved at all.
 
A virtual positron is not the same thing as a positron. Hawking radiation comes from virtual particle pairs, of which only one of which becomes a real particle.
 
newjerseyrunner said:
Hawking radiation comes from virtual particle pairs
It does not. If you check the actual calculations, there is no virtual particle pair involved.
 
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