Create Matter: Can it be Reverse Engineered from Nothing?

[2Chewz]

If matter and anti matter can combine to cancel each other out, can your reverse the process to pull matter and anti matter from nothing? I ask in a theoretical sense, not weather we are currently capable or not.

Looking forward to your responses!

 

[Nugatory]

If matter and anti matter can combine to cancel each other out, can your reverse the process to pull matter and anti matter from nothing? I ask in a theoretical sense, not weather we are currently capable or not.

Yes. Google for "pair production".

 

[2Chewz]

Yes. Google for "pair production".

That's still energy though. Unless I am wrong about anti matter (matter and anti matter cancel each other out into nothing). What I mean is can you take nothing, flip a few switches and push a few buttons to fabricate matter and anti matter from the fabric of space.

 

[Dale]

If matter and anti matter can combine to cancel each other out, can your reverse the process to pull matter and anti matter from nothing?

Matter and anti matter don't cancel each other out. They annihilate each other, producing two photons. And yes, the process can be reversed so that two photons can produce an electron and a positron.

 

[Dale]

Unless I am wrong about anti matter (matter and anti matter cancel each other out into nothing).

This is wrong. It would violate the conservation of energy. See above.

 

[2Chewz]

Matter and anti matter don't cancel each other out. They annihilate each other, producing two photons. And yes, the process can be reversed so that two photons can produce an electron and a positron.

Alright, thanks for the clarification. Is there any way to to make matter into nothing?

 

[Dale]

No, it would violate conservation of energy.

 

[WildHYDRA]

Einstein's theory of relativity states that E=mc^2 or E^2=(mc^2)^2x(pc)^2. Which means that abundant energy creates mass and vice versa.

 

[WildHYDRA]

Sorry, to actually answer your question, given an infinite amount of time matter could 'appear' spontaneously.
Although, given a finite time scale this anti-matter reversal would be very improbable. On the other hand, if any energy or matter is present at all, this process would be probable.

 

[ChrisVer]

There is no such thing as "nothing" in fact... except for singular points (perhaps) since by definition they are missing/cannot be studied... even the vacuum is a soup of virtual particles- give them enough energy and they will pop up...

 

[Drakkith]

Sorry, to actually answer your question, given an infinite amount of time matter could 'appear' spontaneously.
Although, given a finite time scale this anti-matter reversal would be very improbable. On the other hand, if any energy or matter is present at all, this process would be probable.

What process are you talking about? Why would matter appear spontaneously?

 

[WildHYDRA]

@Drak Quantum physics dictates that if an infinite amount of time is "available", with even the smallest amount of matter or energy present, almost any possible combination of matter could be created. When I said "appear", I meant come from other places within the universe. In fact, my wording was rather poor in my previous point.

By 'process', I was referring to the question, the "pulling matter from nothing" question.

 

[Drakkith]

Okay, I see what you mean now.

 

[TheDemx27]

Alright, thanks for the clarification. Is there any way to to make matter into nothing?

The best you can do annihilate anti-particle particle pairs into electromagnetic waves. To actually turn something into nothing would take an act of god.

 

[Agrasin]

Doesn't the energy-time version of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle say that mass/energy can pop into existence for very short times?

Might be a silly question, but this is what I've gathered from reading about it.