Do we know how to create matter?

Question

According to Einstein’s famous equation, E = mc2, matter and energy are interchangeable. So far, we have converted matter into energy through fission and fusion.

Beyond trivial, quantum level interactions, has anyone found a way to create matter out of energy?

Answer 1

God! :D

Answer 2

Certain elements on the periodic table only exist because humans have made them, most notably the super-heavy elements and technetium.

These are all synthetic materials, made primarily through bombarding elemental atoms with alpha and beta particles.

As far as actually creating raw matter from raw energy, the alchemists' dream is still a dream. (Keep in mind, though, the amount of energy required to make a single hydrogen atom is obscene.)

Answer 3

What's with this "matter can't be created or destroyed" mantra you're all repeating? Clearly matter (mass) can be transferred into energy from the mass-energy relation above.

Anytime you have sufficient energy density around (eg collisions in a particle accelerator) you will spontaneously get matter-antimatter particle pairs created from it.

Example: it takes about 1MeV of energy to create an electron-positron pair. It takes more energy to create more massive pairs.

The problem with making klarge amounts of mass out of high energy density is that creation events *always* happen in particle-antiparticle pairs. This means you*always* create equal amounts of matter and antimatter, and particle-antiparticle pairs annihilate when they meet to produce energy. So what you get is a seething equilibrium of pairs being created from energy then annihilating to give you back the energy then being created again, etc.


Hope this helps!
The Chicken

Answer 4

it seems that way don't it? if you look at the equation E=mc^2, you can transform matter into energy but why not the other way around? I don't think technology is at the point to capture and combine all the particles released during a fusion/fission reaction to test that. Your dealing with a outrageous amount of energy there

Answer 5

quantum interactions are not trivial. There is a great amount of energy in thos interactions. I love how ppl always forget the sub 0 on that M. Yes, we know how to make electrons and neutrons and whatnot. You just reverse the process of them anihilating themselves. Though, you will never be able to make a clump of something instantly. You will have to build it up by using billions of 'trivial quantum level interactions.'

Answer 6

Yes. I don't recall the details, but I have read that physicists have created equal quantities of matter and antimatter from random decay of gamma rays. When they do, the antimatter quickly finds a particle of matter to annihilate, thus producing again the energy that had been destroyed.

Answer 7

basic law is that matter cannot be created/ destroyed. Quantum mechanics allows an irreversible change into energy. No one has found a means yet.

Answer 8

You'de have to work e = mc^2 backwards to get matter out of energy.

The equation would be m = e/c^2

Law of Conservation of Mass: Matter cannot be created or destroyed.

Answer 9

Cannot be done without such high levels of energy that we cannot create.

Big Bang?

Answer 10

Eat lots of fiber!

Seriously, though, are you thinking in terms of Star Trek and their food replicators, etc.?
I think we would know if someone did that..

Answer 11

Not yet. But the research is continuing