AntimatterAntimatter

What is Antimatter?What is Antimatter?You cannot define antimatter without the speaking of matter.

Antimatter is equal and opposite to matter.

Since the universe is composed of electrons, protons, and neutrons, physicists think antimatter is composed of anti-electrons, called positrons, antiprotons, and antineutrons. Watch Movie

Opposite Electric Charge?Opposite Electric Charge?

These positrons, and antiprotons have an opposite electric charge compared to the

normal electrons and protons. 

Their quantum numbers – positron(+1) and antiproton(-1)

Annihilation!Annihilation!

If antimatter and matter were to collide, the quantum numbers would add to zero.  The matter and antimatter would annihilate.

Where is all the Antimatter?Where is all the Antimatter?

If matter and antimatter are equal and opposite, then why is our universe composed mainly of matter?

If antimatter does exist in large amounts we would know about the large amount of energy being created when they annihilate.

It Exists!It Exists!

Antimatter does exist in our environment.  Radiation and fusion processes in the sun produce

positrons. 

The antimatter particles don’t last long at all. 

As soon as a positron meets an electron, they annihilate.

Trapped Antimatter?Trapped Antimatter?

Antimatter can be trapped and even created in particle accelerator labs.

In Europe, CERN, a particle accelerator lab trapped and stored antimatter for weeks at a time.

It Costs Too Much!It Costs Too Much!

Antimatter costs an outrageous amount to create. 

To create one milligram of antimatter, it costs an estimated one hundred billion dollars. 

TechnologyTechnology

With today’s technology, antimatter is being considered for medical, and rocket propulsion purposes.

Antimatter Antimatter Propelled Propelled SpaceshipSpaceship

NASA is exploring ways to use antimatter to propel future spacecraft.  A Penn State artist drew this design for an antimatter propelled spaceship.

High Energy Antimatter High Energy Antimatter TelescopeTelescope

HEAT is another use for antimatter.  This project is a NASA program that uses a high-altitude balloon-borne experiment to study antimatter.

The telescope is configured to detect high-energy primary electrons and their opposites, the positrons.

Medical UsesMedical Uses

Antimatter is currently being used for medical purposes also. 

The PET, or Positron Emissions Tomography, helps to  identify different diseases by the use of antimatter.

Alpha Magnetic SpectrometerAlpha Magnetic Spectrometer

This is the new Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS)  to be installed on the International Space Station in 2002 or 2003.

This AMS is designed to look for heavy antimatter -- anti-helium nuclei or anti-carbon's, that may come enter our solar system from far away antimatter galaxies.

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Jim CooperJim Cooper