If antimatter and matter become pure energy when they combine and an

In summary, the conversation discusses the conversion of matter and antimatter into pure energy when combined, and the production of photons through the annihilation of electrons and positrons. It also mentions the importance of conservation laws, such as energy, momentum, and charge, in determining if certain reactions are possible.
  • #1
bmurphy12345
3
0
If antimatter and matter become pure energy when they combine and an electron has an antiparticle (a positron) what is the energy that comes from their combination? I thought electrons were made of energy.
Thanks
 
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  • #2
bmurphy12345 said:
If antimatter and matter become pure energy when they combine and an electron has an antiparticle (a positron) what is the energy that comes from their combination? I thought electrons were made of energy.

I'm not sure I entirely understand your question, but when electrons and positrons collide (or annihilate), they create photons. Specifically, since the total energy of electron+positron >~ MeV, they'll form gamma-ray photons. It's just a matter of converting different forms of energy (mass energy+kinetic energy -> photon energy).
 
  • #3
In technical language,total 4 momentum in a Feynman diagram is zero.

Daniel.
 
  • #4
if matter is energy can it be converted into antimatter?
 
  • #5
I guess, when the condition is fit, then what will happen is that the energy form a matter and it's antimatter.
 
  • #6
bmurphy12345 said:
if matter is energy can it be converted into antimatter?

As long as energy and momentum (and charge and all that) are conserved, almost anything can happen.
 
  • #7
masudr said:
As long as energy and momentum (and charge and all that) are conserved, almost anything can happen.

And charge, and CPT, and maybe some other symmetries.
 
  • #8
selfAdjoint said:
And charge, and CPT, and maybe some other symmetries.

I mentioned charge, and the "all that" stood for the stuff you say. As far as we know, anyway.
 
  • #9
For those who may not realize, or missed it, what SelfAdjoint and Masudr are trying to convey is that there are MORE consideration to be taken into account than just "energy goes to matter". One needs to consider a number of conservation laws for something to occur. You just cannot take energy and BAM, convert it into matter. Pair-production, for example, where high energy photons converts into a matter-antimatter pair can only occur in the vacinity of "massive" objects due to conservation of momentum issues.

There are specific rules and laws for things to occur in physics in which there are not only qualitative, but also quantative restrictions. Knowing just ONE of the rules does not tell you if something is possible or not.

Zz.
 

1. What is antimatter?

Antimatter is a type of matter that is composed of antiparticles, which have the same mass as normal particles but opposite charge. For example, an antiproton has the same mass as a proton but has a negative charge instead of a positive charge.

2. How is antimatter created?

Antimatter can be created through high-energy collisions between particles, such as in particle accelerators. It can also be produced naturally through radioactive decay or in cosmic ray interactions.

3. What happens when antimatter and matter combine?

When antimatter and matter combine, they annihilate each other and release a large amount of energy in the form of gamma rays. This process is called annihilation and is governed by Einstein's famous equation, E=mc².

4. Can antimatter be used as a source of energy?

Antimatter can potentially be used as a source of energy because of its incredible efficiency in converting matter into energy. However, the technology to produce and contain antimatter is currently very expensive and difficult to control.

5. Is antimatter dangerous?

In small amounts, antimatter is not dangerous. In fact, tiny amounts of antimatter are produced and used in medical imaging and treatments. However, large amounts of antimatter could potentially be dangerous if it were to come into contact with a significant amount of matter, as it would release a large amount of energy in the form of gamma rays.

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