Antimatter - Introduction

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ANTIMATTER - 

INTRODUCTION

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Most of us have come across the word - matter. Matter is found all around us. Our universe is formed from matter. Matter is formed of atoms that have particles called electrons which are negatively charged.

Then what is antimatter?

Let us return to 1928 when Paul Dirac gave a brand new and stylish equation to explain how particles like electrons behave after they travel near the speed of light. He found that the equation had two solutions (just like how x^2 = 2 has two solutions: x=2 and x= -2) - one for an electron with a negative charge and the other for an electron with a positive charge. The matter that we see around is created of atoms that have negatively charged electrons. So, Dirac dismissed the 2nd solution i.e. of positively charged electrons as a mathematical artefact. However, 3 years later, he claimed that the 2nd solution was indeed true. 
This gave rise to ANTIMATTER.

So what exactly is antimatter?

Antimatter is strictly like matter except that the atoms have a positively charged electron.

Scientifically speaking, the proper way to define antimatter would be -

"Antimatter refers to sub-atomic particles that have properties opposite normal sub-atomic particles. Antimatter is the opposite of normal matter. More specifically, the sub-atomic particles of antimatter have properties opposite those of normal matter."

Antimatter has the same mass and same spin as that of matter. It only has an opposite electric charge. 

In matter, quarks form protons. Thus, in antimatter, antiquarks compose antiprotons.
In matter, we've negatively charged electrons. In antimatter, we've got positively charged electrons (positrons).

FIRST DETECTION OF ANTIMATTER:

The first detection of antimatter was made in 1932 by Carl Anderson. He took an image of a particle whose tracks had been left in a cloud chamber. The particle had the identical mass as an electron, but an opposite charge. 
This verified Dirac's mathematical prediction! 

ANTIMATTER IS 

CLOSER TO YOU 

THAN YOU THINK!

Small amounts of antimatter constantly come down on the planet in the form of cosmic rays, energetic particles from space.
Scientists have also seen evidence of antimatter production above thunderstorms.

  • Scientists using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have detected beams of antimatter produced above thunderstorms on Earth, a phenomenon never seen before.

  • Scientists think the antimatter particles were formed during a terrestrial gamma-ray flash (TGF), a quick burst produced inside thunderstorms and shown to be related to lightning. 

  • Click here to know more!


Bananas produce antimatter, releasing one positron—the antimatter equivalent of an electron—about every 75 minutes. 
  • This occurs because bananas contain a small amount of potassium-40, a naturally occurring isotope of potassium. As potassium-40 decays, it occasionally spits out a positron in the process. 
  • Our bodies also contain potassium-40, which implies positrons are being emitted from you, too. Antimatter annihilates immediately on contact with matter, so these antimatter particles are very short-lived.
  • Click here to know more!

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THE QUESTION THAT ARISES:

According to the big bang theory, the big bang should have created equal amounts of matter and antimatter. When matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate. So why was there any matter left that led to the creation of the universe, as we see it today?

There are theories that are employed by scientists to come up with solutions for the same.

  1. Maybe all the matter and antimatter didn't annihilate. Some antimatter may have been separated and still exist as anti-planets, anti-stars, anti-galaxies, or even anti-universe! 
  2. The second theory is that after the big bang, there was an imbalance between matter and antimatter. Scientists believe that for every billion anti-protons, there have been one + billion protons. this might seem tiny; however, this imbalance is enough to make the universe as we see it today.
Scientists are still conducting experiments... However, the question, "Given that matter and antimatter annihilate, how can we still exist?" continues to puzzle scientists all around the world.
What do you think is the answer? 🤔

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I am still learning Particle physics, but will try my best to answer your questions :)

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With Warm Wishes,
Lavanya

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