In physics and chemistry, antimatter is a substance that consists of antiparticles, that is, from an antiproton (a proton with a negative electric charge) and from an antielectron (an electron with a positive electric charge). The antiproton and antielectron form an antimatter atom, just as an electron and a proton form a hydrogen atom.
General concept of matter and antimatter
Everyone knows the answer to the question of what matter is, that is, it is a substance that consists of molecules and atoms. The atoms themselves, in turn, are composed of electrons and nuclei formed by protons and neutrons. Understanding the question of what matter is makes it possible to understand what antimatter is. It is understood as a substance, the constituent particles of which have an opposite electric charge. In the case of a neutron-antineutron pair, their charges are zero, but the magnetic moments are directed opposite.
The main property of antimatter is its ability to annihilate when it encounters ordinary matter. As a result of the contact of these substances, the mass disappears and is completely converted into energy. According to cosmic theory, in the Universe there is an equal amount of matter and antimatter, this fact follows from theoretical considerations. However, these substances are separated by vast distances, since any meeting of them leads to grand cosmic phenomena of the destruction of matter.
The history of the discovery of antimatter
Antimatter was discovered in 1932 by the North American physicist Carl Andersen, who studied cosmic rays and was able to detect a positron (electron antiparticle). Thanks to this discovery, he received the Nobel Prize in 1936. Subsequently, antiprotons were experimentally discovered. This happened in 2006 thanks to the launch of the Pamela satellite, whose mission was to study the particles emitted by the Sun.
Subsequently, humanity has learned to independently create antimatter. As a result of many experiments, it was shown that the collision of matter and antimatter destroys both substances and generates gamma rays. These experimental findings were predicted by Albert Einstein.
Antimatter Use
Where can antimatter be used? First of all, antimatter is an excellent fuel. Just one drop of antimatter is able to provide energy, which will be enough to power a large city during the day. In addition, this energy source is environmentally friendly.
In the field of medicine, the main use of antimatter is positron radiation tomography. Gamma rays, which arise from the annihilation of matter and antimatter, are used to detect cancerous tumors in the body. Antimatter is also used in anti-cancer therapy. Currently, studies are underway on the use of antiprotons for the complete destruction of cancerous tissues.
How much is a gram of antimatter and where to store it?
The production of antimatter using particle accelerators requires huge energy costs. In addition, antimatter is difficult to store, because it is self-destructing in any contact with ordinary substance. Therefore, they store it in strong electromagnetic fields, which also require large energy costs for their creation and maintenance.
In connection with the foregoing, we can conclude that antimatter is the most expensive substance on earth. Her gram is estimated at 62.5 billion US dollars. According to other estimates provided by CERN, several hundred million Swiss francs must be spent to create one billionth of a gram of antimatter.
Space is a source of antimatter
At this stage of technology development, the artificial creation of antimatter is a low-efficient and costly method. In view of this, scientists from NASA plan to collect antimatter in the Van Allen belt of the Earth by magnetic fields. This belt is located at a height of several hundred kilometers above the surface of our planet and has a thickness of several thousand kilometers. This region of space contains a large number of antiprotons, which are formed as a result of reactions of elementary particles caused by collisions of cosmic rays in the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere. In the Van Allen belt, the amount of ordinary matter is small, so antiprotons can exist in it for quite a long time.
Another source of antimatter is similar radiation belts around the giant planets of the solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus. Scientists pay particular attention to Saturn, which, in their opinion, should produce a large number of antiprotons that arise as a result of the interaction of charged cosmic particles with the ice rings of the planet.
Work is also underway towards more economical storage of antimatter. So, Professor Masaki Hori (Masaki Hori) said the developed method of retaining antiprotons using radio frequencies, which, according to him, will significantly reduce the size of the container for antimatter.