sheldoncooper Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 (edited) hi ive just started reading about antimatter my question is quick: when the antimatter is created, will it only annihilate with it's original twin matter or can it annihilate any other matter? Edited January 20, 2011 by sheldoncooper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timo Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 The simple answer is: any. The more complicated answer is that "matter annihilates with anti-matter" is not exactly a correct statement but more like a lie for laymen or perhaps a rule of thumb. While an electron (matter) and an anti-electron (anti-matter) do indeed annihilate, this is not true for a proton (matter) and an anti-electron (anti-matter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldoncooper Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 (edited) you mean an electron will not annihilate with a anti-proton because they are difference things but an electron will indeed annihilate an anti-electron as will a proton and an anti proton? if so, yeah i kinda got that, but thanks for the clearing up regards Edited January 20, 2011 by sheldoncooper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timo Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 That's kind of what I meant, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonstar57 Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 The simple answer is: any. The more complicated answer is that "matter annihilates with anti-matter" is not exactly a correct statement but more like a lie for laymen or perhaps a rule of thumb. While an electron (matter) and an anti-electron (anti-matter) do indeed annihilate, this is not true for a proton (matter) and an anti-electron (anti-matter). its not called a anti electron its called a positron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timo Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 It's called both. I've used the less fancy sounding term on purpose because it's clearer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha2cen Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Is the positron stable in the vacuum? Electrons are very stable in the vacuum, their half life is very very long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timo Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 It's stable; same as the electron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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