20
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 16:
Line 16: − + Line 22:
Line 22: + − + +
no edit summary
== Artificial antimatter ==
== Artificial Antimatter ==
Antimatter is made in supercolliders such as [[CERN]], by smashing beams of highly charged particles together. This results in pair production, the creation of a particle and its antiparticle. One of the aims of modern physics is the creation of larger and more complex forms of antimatter. In 1995 CERN announced that it had produced 9 hydrogen atoms. In 2003 Antihelium was created. Physicists are now working on the creation of 'cooler' antiatoms, as the ones produced so far are more energetic than atoms on the surface of the sun, and this makes the extremely hard to study. Another issue being studied is that of containment: since antimatter explodes on contact with normal matter, it is difficult to hold it for study. Smaller particles are held in place by carefully managed magnetic fields, but the larger antiatoms, being magnetically neutral, are much harder to contain.
Antimatter is made in supercolliders such as [[CERN]], by smashing beams of highly charged particles together. This results in pair production, the creation of a particle and its antiparticle. One of the aims of modern physics is the creation of larger and more complex forms of antimatter. In 1995 CERN announced that it had produced 9 hydrogen atoms. In 2003 Antihelium was created. Physicists are now working on the creation of 'cooler' antiatoms, as the ones produced so far are more energetic than atoms on the surface of the sun, and this makes the extremely hard to study. Another issue being studied is that of containment: since antimatter explodes on contact with normal matter, it is difficult to hold it for study. Smaller particles are held in place by carefully managed magnetic fields, but the larger antiatoms, being magnetically neutral, are much harder to contain.
== Natural Antimatter ==
Antimatter is naturally produced by both (β<sup>+</sup>) decay and by high energy collisions between particles. Antimatter makes up a very small percentage of cosmic rays, and is occasionally produced when those rays collide with the earth's atmosphere. Antimatter has also been spotted in the Van Allen belts and forming above thunderstorms.
Potassium 40 will (very) occasionally undergo beta decay, producing an antielectron. As such, the average banana (rich in potassium) will produce a small particle of antimatter every 75 minutes.<ref>http://tertiarysource.net/ts.cgi/anti-banana</ref>
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Physics]]