Antimatter: The Most Expensive Substance on Earth
Antimatter is rare, powerful, and difficult to store.
Matter’s mirror image
By Peter Teoh, Science Writer
Antimatter is made of particles with opposite charge to normal matter. When the two meet, they annihilate into energy.
Explainer: Why antimatter is so rare
Focus: Antimatter can be created in particle accelerators, but only in tiny amounts and with huge energy cost. Storing it requires magnetic traps because any contact with matter destroys it.
The cost reflects the energy and equipment needed to produce and confine it. Scientists use antimatter to study fundamental physics and in medical imaging like PET scans.
Summary of Key Ideas:
- Antimatter annihilates with matter, releasing energy.
- Production requires massive energy input.
- Storage demands electromagnetic traps.
Side Notes
- The universe has far more matter than antimatter.
- Antimatter is used in positron emission tomography.
Trending Sidebar
- Antihydrogen experiments.
- Matter-antimatter asymmetry studies.
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