Annihilation
When matter and its antimatter (or particles and their corresponding antiparticles) collide, they can annihilate each other. That means they destroy each other and produce energy in the form of photons, otherwise known as electromagnetic waves.
Annihilation converts the mass of the matter and antimatter into energy.
Direction of photon propagation
After annihilation, the photons produced are emitted in opposite directions, perpendicular to the original direction of the particles. This is because of the conservation of momentum - the momentum before the annihilation must equal the momentum after the annihilation, and the momentum before was 0.
Energy of the photons
The energy of the photons produced from the annihilation can be calculated using the equation:
E = mc^2
E is the energy of the photons producedm is the mass of the matter or antimatter that was annihilatedc is the speed of light in a vacuum.
flashcards
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What happens when matter and antimatter collide? | They annihilate each other, destroying each other and producing energy in the form of photons (electromagnetic waves). |
| What does annihilation convert? | It converts the mass of the matter and antimatter into energy. |
| In what direction are photons emitted after annihilation? | They are emitted in opposite directions, perpendicular to the original direction of the particles. |
| Why are photons emitted in opposite directions after annihilation? | Because of conservation of momentum; the momentum before annihilation was zero, so the total momentum after must also be zero. |
| What equation calculates the energy of photons produced from annihilation? | |
| What does | The energy of the photons produced. |
| What does | The mass of the matter or antimatter that was annihilated. |
| What does | The speed of light in a vacuum. |