Can antiparticles annihilate different types of particles?

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of annihilation between an anti-neutron and an electron. While it is possible for these particles to react, it is not considered annihilation. The process can be explained as the collision of quarks and anti-quarks, and for baryon/antibaryon collisions, annihilation can occur. However, for elementary particle-antiparticle collisions, annihilation can only occur if they are of the same type to conserve certain physical laws. Rare decays such as ##K_s \to \gamma \gamma## and possible quark/antiquark annihilation in different quark types are also mentioned and supported by a referenced paper.
  • #1
kq6up
368
13
The title says it all. For example can an anti-neutron annihilate with an electron?

Thanks,
Chris
 
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  • #2
they can react but it's not called annihilation.
I suppose you can have antineutron + electron -> antiproton + electron neutrino.
 
  • #3
It can be boiled down to the collision of quarks and anti quarks.
 
  • #4
Andrekosmos said:
It can be boiled down to the collision of quarks and anti quarks.
Not if you collide an antineutron with an electron.

For baryon/antibaryon collisions: sure.
 
  • #5
I think it's important to note that elementary particle-antiparticle collisions can only result in an annihilation if they are of the same type. This is pretty much by definition, otherwise some conservation law (conservation of electric charge, for example) would be violated, which would not allow the process.
Scattering of composite particles, such as hadrons, would boil down to the logic described above.
 
  • #6
You have reactions like ##K_s \to \gamma \gamma##. A rare decay, but still possible (and measured). The same should be possible for D0, B0 and Bs, but there are just upper limits. All those decays are similar to quark/antiquark annihilation with different quark types.
See also This paper for theory predictions.
 

1. Can antiparticles annihilate particles of the same type?

Yes, antiparticles can annihilate particles of the same type. When a particle and its corresponding antiparticle come into contact, they can annihilate each other and release energy in the form of photons or other particles.

2. Can antiparticles annihilate particles of a different type?

Yes, antiparticles can also annihilate particles of a different type. The annihilation process is based on the principle of conservation of charge, energy, and momentum, so as long as these principles are satisfied, antiparticles and particles of different types can annihilate each other.

3. What happens during the annihilation of antiparticles and particles?

During the annihilation process, the mass of the particle and antiparticle is converted into energy in the form of photons or other particles. This energy is released and can be detected by various instruments, such as detectors in particle accelerators.

4. Can antiparticles be created from energy during the annihilation process?

Yes, antiparticles can be created from energy during the annihilation process. This is known as pair production, where a high-energy photon can spontaneously create a particle and its corresponding antiparticle. This process is the reverse of annihilation.

5. Are there any practical applications of antiparticle annihilation?

Yes, antiparticle annihilation has several practical applications in fields such as medical imaging and cancer treatment. Positron emission tomography (PET) uses the annihilation of positrons (antiparticles of electrons) to produce images of the body, while targeted alpha particle therapy uses the annihilation of antiprotons to destroy cancer cells.

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