Gravitational force between matter and antimatter

In summary, the current scientific consensus is that the gravitational force between matter and antimatter is predicted to be attractive, based on the theory of General Relativity. However, this has not been experimentally tested yet. Some researchers believe that recent experiments may be getting close to measuring the gravitational properties of antimatter compared to matter.
  • #1
Delta2
Insights Author
Gold Member
6,002
2,628
What is the current scientific consensus on the gravitational force between matter and antimatter. Is it repulsive, attractive or zero?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Antiparticle of photon is itself and photons attract.
 
  • Like
Likes Delta2
  • #3
It is a prediction of GR than it is attractive. If it were not (and indeed, not the same as for matter) it violates conservation of energy.
 
  • Like
Likes Delta2 and vanhees71
  • #4
Yes, it is clearly predicted to be attractive, but this has not been experimentally tested yet.
 
  • Like
Likes vanhees71 and Delta2
  • #5
Dale said:
Yes, it is clearly predicted to be attractive, but this has not been experimentally tested yet.
But, we've made antimatter... didn't anybody notice if the stuff tended to fall down, or up ?
 
  • Like
Likes vanhees71
  • #6
hmmm27 said:
But, we've made antimatter... didn't anybody notice if the stuff tended to fall down, or up ?
No. The antimatter that we have made is charged and it is hard to get a region where the EM field is so small that you can see which way it falls under just gravity.
 
  • #7
Dale said:
No. The antimatter that we have made is charged and it is hard to get a region where the EM field is so small that you can see which way it falls under just gravity.
Actually, we have made neutral antimatter, but I think that their gravitational properties haven't been studied yet.
 
  • Like
Likes vanhees71, Dale and Delta2
  • #8
If one believes the press releases, various experiments might be getting close to measuring the gravitational properties of antimatter (compared to matter) at good accuracy. Check out the following article:

AEgIs -- Cern Courier Feb 2021
 
  • Like
Likes andresB, vanhees71, Dale and 1 other person
Back
Top