Is the anti-matter they talk about on Star Trek a real substance?

Question

I know the warp drive they talk about on the show is fictional, but is there a theorhetical basis for what they talk about on the show (antimatter+matter=100% efficent energy transfer)?

Answer 1

Yes, there is. When matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate each other utterly, converting all of the mass to energy. The amount of energy is determined by the famous formula, E = mc^2, where m is the mass of the annihilated particles, and c is the speed of light.

Answer 2

Yes, antimatter exists. It is created in particle collides, its created by cosmic rays when they hit matter, etc.,... It quickly finds some real matter to collide with and is then annihilated.

Up until recently, anti-protons and positrons (anti-electrons) only existed independently. Scientists have created in producing small amounts of anti-hydrogen (positron orbiting an anti-electron) in the lab using magnetic fields to isolate the particles before they contact normal matter.

For a matter/anti-matter drive to work, you would need two things:

1.) a way to produce large amounts of antimatter
2.) a way to safely store large amounts of antimatter

There is no reason to assume these two challenges won't be overcome at some point in the future.

thatmy - the Sun is not fueled by a matter/anti-matter reaction. It is fueled by nuclear fusion.

Answer 3

Sun is a good example of antimatter & matter = solar power. Unlimited energy supply till end of life cycle.

Updates:
Thanks for the correction, Justin.

Answer 4

Yes, it is real but we've never been able to create more than a few subatomic particles of it which annihilate themselves in a very small fraction of a second.

It's quite doubtful we'd ever produce the stuff in such quantities that it could be used an an energy source. In fact, it'd probably take more energy to make the stuff than we could derive from it.

Answer 5

yes, antimatter isreal, however, it would obliterate anything it touches, so their use of it is impossible

Answer 6

yes they hold it in an accelerator but dont have alot.