Is Matter Still Being Created from Energy?

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Matter continues to be created from energy through processes like pair production, where high-energy photons can generate electron-positron pairs. While the total energy content of the universe remains constant, energy can be converted into matter and vice versa. Matter is also regularly "destroyed" or transformed into energy, particularly in nuclear reactions and other natural processes. This cycle of creation and destruction of matter occurs continuously in the universe. Understanding these processes deepens knowledge of fundamental physics and the nature of the universe.
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Is new matter still being created from energy in the universe anywhere, or is that something that only happened at the big bang? And is there a known way to create matter from energy?
 
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Hi there,

Matter is being created all the time. Are you familiar with the "pair production" process? The process of creating an electron-positron pair from a >1.22MeV photon.

Cheers
 
Nope I wasn't aware of that, now I know the name it's a lot easier to find articles to read about it. So thanks for the info :)
 
The total energy content of the universe is fixed to the best of our knowledge. This does not preclude the conversion of energy to matter, or vice versa.
 
DLuckyE said:
Is new matter still being created . . .
The reverse is also true. Matter gets "destroyed" in nuclear reactors. Or, more accurately, it is converted into a different form of energy.
 
Hi there,

Redbelly98 said:
The reverse is also true. Matter gets "destroyed" in nuclear reactors. Or, more accurately, it is converted into a different form of energy.

But not only in nuclear reactors. The "destruction" of matter is a natural process, happening all the time. The natural terrestrial background radiation is the result of this natural process.

Cheers
 

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