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[[Matter]], and therefore everything seen, is made out of fundamental particles of nature.  These fundamental particles are hadrons and leptons, the hadrons being further subdivided into baryons and mesons.  Hadrons include the proton and neutron and leptons include the electron, [[muon]] and tau as well as the corresponding neutrinos.  For simplicity, the overwhelming majority of matter in the universe is comprised of protons, neutrons and electrons. Antimatter is matter formed from antiparticles, which have the same mass but opposite [[charge]] and quantum spin to their corresponding particles. When antimatter is brought into contact with normal matter, both particles are destroyed, resulting in an explosion that is, in terms of mass to explosive power, the most powerful known to mankind.  

[[Matter]], and therefore everything seen, is made out of fundamental particles of nature.  These fundamental particles are hadrons and leptons, the hadrons being further subdivided into baryons and mesons.  Hadrons include the proton and neutron and leptons include the electron, [[muon]] and tau as well as the corresponding neutrinos.  For simplicity, the overwhelming majority of matter in the universe is comprised of protons, neutrons and electrons. Antimatter is matter formed from antiparticles, which have the same mass but opposite [[charge]] and quantum spin to their corresponding particles. When antimatter is brought into contact with normal matter, both particles are destroyed, resulting in an explosion that is, in terms of mass to explosive power, the most powerful known to mankind.  

== Discovery ==

== Discovery ==

In the late 19 and early 20th century antimatter had been the cause of much speculation within the scientific community, With William Hicks, Karl Pearson and Arthur Schuster discussing the idea. The current theory of antimatter was set down in a paper by [[Paul Dirac]] in 1928, when he realized his version of the schrödinger wave equation for electrons also raised the possibility for the existence of anti-electrons, electrons that had the same mass but opposite charge and spin. Naturally all the other particles of matter would also have their opposites.

In the late 19 and early 20th century antimatter had been the cause of much speculation within the scientific community, With William Hicks, Karl Pearson and Arthur Schuster discussing the idea. The current theory of antimatter was set down in a paper by [[Paul Dirac]] in 1928, when he realized his version of the schrödinger wave equation for electrons also raised the possibility for the existence of anti-electrons, electrons that had the same mass but opposite charge and spin. Naturally all the other particles of matter would also have their opposites.

The anti-proton was first discovered in 1955, by  physicists Emilio Segrè and Owen Chamberlain. The first anti-neutron was discovered shortly thereafter in 1956, by Bruce Cork.  

The anti-proton was first discovered in 1955, by  physicists Emilio Segrè and Owen Chamberlain. The first anti-neutron was discovered shortly thereafter in 1956, by Bruce Cork.  

== Artificial Antimatter ==

== Artificial Antimatter ==

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>

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>

 

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[[Category:Physics]]

[[Category:Physics]]