what are antiparticles and antimatter ?

Answer 1

Antimatter is the opposite of matter and on the subatomic level it is composed of antiparticles. The opposite of an electron is the positron and it is the same size, but with a positive charge.

We don't know of any natural existence of antimatter, but we have made it in particle accelerators. We have only made a few particles of it because it is dangerous and when antimatter contacts matter you get an explosion on the scale of a nuclear bomb.

According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimatter
"In particle physics and quantum chemistry, antimatter extends the concept of the antiparticle to matter, whereby antimatter is composed of antiparticles in the same way that normal matter is composed of particles. For example an antielectron (positron) and an antiproton could form an antihydrogen atom in the same way that an electron and a proton form a normal matter hydrogen atom. Furthermore, mixing of matter and antimatter would lead to the annihilation of both in the same way that mixing of antiparticles and particles does, thus giving rise to high-energy photons (gamma rays) or other particle–antiparticle pairs. The particles resulting from matter-antimatter annihilation are endowed with energy equal to the difference between the rest mass of the products of the annihilation and the rest mass of the original matter-antimatter pair, which is often quite large."

In the science fiction TV series Star Trek the ship, Enterprises, got its power from a matter/antimatter reaction.

Answer 2

In particle physics and quantum chemistry, antimatter extends the concept of the antiparticle to matter, whereby antimatter is composed of antiparticles in the same way that normal matter is composed of particles. For example an antielectron (positron) and an antiproton could form an antihydrogen atom in the same way that an electron and a proton form a normal matter hydrogen atom. Furthermore, mixing of matter and antimatter would lead to the annihilation of both in the same way that mixing of antiparticles and particles does, thus giving rise to high-energy photons (gamma rays) or other particle–antiparticle pairs. The particles resulting from matter-antimatter annihilation are endowed with energy equal to the difference between the rest mass of the products of the annihilation and the rest mass of the original matter-antimatter pair, which is often quite large.

There is considerable speculation both in science and science fiction as to why the observable universe is apparently almost entirely matter, whether other places are almost entirely antimatter instead, and what might be possible if antimatter could be harnessed, but at this time the apparent asymmetry of matter and antimatter in the visible universe is one of the greatest unsolved problems in physics. Possible processes by which it came about are explored in more detail under baryogenesis.

Answer 3

Antiparticles (..antimatter..) is exactly the same as 'regular' matter *except* it has an opposite electric charge. For instance, an electron has a negative charge while its antimatter twin (..the positron..) has a positive charge. When antimatter and matter come into contact they totally destroy each other.

Answer 4

An antiparticle is just what the name says. When an antiparticle comes in contact with its corresponding particle, they annihilate, releasing energy. Usually the antiparticle has an opposite charge but exact same mass than its corresponding particle, for example the antielectron (more commonly known as the positron, for some reason the only antiparticle given its own name) has the same mass as the electron but a positive charge.

The people who said antiparticles don't exist naturally don't know what they're talking about, the positron was first discovered through cosmic rays, thats natural. I did an experiment with cosmic rays where high energy protons collide with the atmosphere creating muons, each muons then decay into an electron and an antimuon neutrino, or decays into a positron and a muon neutrino depending on its charge.

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
what are antiparticles and antimatter ?

Answer 6

the matter you know and interact with (you, your food, your bed, etc) is made up of atoms, and each atom is in turn made up of 3 particles - protons, electrons, and neutrons. Protons have a positve charge, electrons have a negative charge, and neutrons have no charge. Protons and neutrons make up the nucleaus (the center of the atom), and the electrons swirl around the nucleaus.

In anti-matter, these particles are replaced with antiparticles, that have the opposite charge. These antiparticles are antiprotons and antielectrons (also referred to as positrons) and antineutrons. The antiprotons and antielectrons have the opposite charge, but remain in their respective positions in an atom of anti-matter (antiproton and antineutron at the nucleaus, orbited by antielectrons). Antineutrons still have no charge, but are different than normal neutrons.

The reason for this difference is because of the particles that make up the protons, electrons, and neutrons, have associated antiparticles also.

Each particle in physics has an associated anti-particle.

Yea, I know this is a little conveluted, but I hope this helps. Check out the source if you need help

Answer 7

Matter meet antimatter will produce anergy

Answer 8

basically just another kind of matter. When an antiparticle collides with it's respective particle, both are annihilated and energy is released. wikipedia will tell you more.