Can an Anti-Matter Blade Cut Through Anything?

[AlkamlBan]

I recently got this weird idea of a blade which would work not with matter but with anti-matter. The idea is that an anti-particle (anti-proton, anti-neutron, anti-electron) generator would create a "spray" of antimatter towards a specific direction. Said antimatter would interact and "puff out of existence" with the matter they touch causing the cutting necessary. One question kept going around in my head though: Is creating these sub-atomic particles and "spraying" them enough or do they need to become "anti-atoms" like anti-helium, anti-oxygen etc to interact with the matter they come in contact with? If that is not necessary then can this "blade" "cut" through anything?

PS: This is mostly for a fantasy setting so just suppose that the anti-matter generator works and creates amounts big enought that a "blade" (aka spray that can be sustained in a conical shape in front of a handle) can be created.

 

[DaveC426913]

Any anti-protons and anti-electrons will do the job for you.

The bigger problem is that the "puff" you describe is going to be in the form of extremely energetic radiation - after all, you are converting mass direcly into energy, a la E=mc².

And there won;t be a complete conversion, since not all antiparticles will find a counterpart immediately, meaning the annihilation zone will spread. In all directions. Including back toward the wielder.

 

[AlkamlBan]

Any anti-protons and anti-electrons will do the job for you.

The bigger problem is that the "puff" you describe is going to be in the form of extremely energetic radiation - after all, you are converting mass direcly into energy, a la E=mc².

And there won;t be a complete conversion, since not all antiparticles will find a counterpart immediately, meaning the annihilation zone will spread. In all directions. Including back toward the wielder.

Fair enough. But wouldn't the air also interact with them? Just to mention something I forgot: I consider the generator to produce an amount of antimatter which upon being shot forward from the handle (maybe with something like a miniature magnetic field or whatever) would cause the amount of anti-matter produced and "consumed" to reach an equal point. Imagine it like the flame comming out the back side of a rocket. As you move the handle around the antimatter that was excreted doesn't move along with you but new one takes its place.

As for the radiation would something like a suit made of lead do the job or would something more drastic be required? (again since it is a fantasy setting little things can be tweaked but I like to have a bit of realistic coolness in it all)

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Is this for a story you are writing or based in an existing SciFi universe?

 

[AlkamlBan]

Is this for a story you are writing or based in an existing SciFi universe?

No and I have never seen something of the sort (then again I am not the biggest fan of Sci-Fi). I had this idea for a video-game.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

No and I have never seen something of the sort (then again I am not the biggest fan of Sci-Fi). I had this idea for a video-game.

That you are creating? Just to be clear because this forum has guidelines and is not meant to be for random speculation.

 

[AlkamlBan]

That you are creating? Just to be clear because this forum has guidelines and is not meant to be for random speculation.

Currently: No. But then again I don't even have a story/universe set up. I might make it happen in the future though if I can get the rest working in a solid way but since this was the first thing that came to mind I figured I would get this over with before I forget about it.

Edit #1: Yes, I know this is for EXISTING fiction only but I couldn't find the Science Fiction Writing forum so...here is the post.

Edit #2: As for the "Currently: No" part its because I cant. I am on my way to university and as a result don't have the time to make said game. Only thing I can do is create universe/chars etc and then when I finish my Computer Games Programming course make said game (along with others I have thought up). So I am not making it now but I am designing it now if that makes sense.

 

[scottdave]

SciFi or video game. Something like antimatter... I guess you get a little leeway, since it will be awhile before we actually generate enough to really test out your theory. I am thinking it will be more like a flame thrower or rocket blast, as described above. The particles will react with air molecules as they shoot out of the "gun". Really you don't need a whole lot of particles to do some damage. In some of Larry Niven's stories, there was some kind of disruptor weapon, which created like a positive charge at one end of the cut, and negative at the other.
The Internet is so cool. I can just search and find information about it.
See this http://larryniven.wikia.com/wiki/Canyon and this http://larryniven.wikia.com/wiki/Wunderland_Treatymaker
If you like Science Fiction novels, I would recommend him. There are a few books, which are collections of short stories, then there is Ringworld novel.

 

[AlkamlBan]

SciFi or video game. Something like antimatter... I guess you get a little leeway, since it will be awhile before we actually generate enough to really test out your theory. I am thinking it will be more like a flame thrower or rocket blast, as described above. The particles will react with air molecules as they shoot out of the "gun". Really you don't need a whole lot of particles to do some damage. In some of Larry Niven's stories, there was some kind of disruptor weapon, which created like a positive charge at one end of the cut, and negative at the other.
The Internet is so cool. I can just search and find information about it.
See this http://larryniven.wikia.com/wiki/Canyon and this http://larryniven.wikia.com/wiki/Wunderland_Treatymaker
If you like Science Fiction novels, I would recommend him. There are a few books, which are collections of short stories, then there is Ringworld novel.

Yes there are a lot of cool weapons out there. Thing is since this can be explained by physics I wanted to see if it would work or not by asking people who knew about such stuff, thus why I came to PF. Of course I do get some leeway but since I might have a chance of making it more Science and less Fiction I thought I would take it. Sci-Fi is cool but personally if you can make something this cool with real science its 1.000.000 times cooler.

 

[rootone]

Anti-hydrogen, essentially just an anti-proton, we can produce that, (though is difficult and expensive).
We don't know if anti-elements of anything more than hydrogen exist.
A blade made of out of hydrogen seems like an unlikely weapon.

 

[stefan r]

Check out a plasma cutter before you decide on something anti matter. Even an oxy/acetylene torch can rip through steel quickly. They are not too expensive. Make sure someone competent is around while you play with it.