Antimatter

Of all the mind-bending discoveries of physics--quarks, black holes, strange attractors, curved space--the existence of antimatter is one of the most bizarre. It is also one of the most difficult, literally and figuratively, to grasp. Antimatter explores this strange mirror world, where particles have identical yet opposite properties to those that make up the familiar matter we encounter everyday, where left becomes right, positive becomes negative, and where--should matter and antimatter meet--the resulting flash of blinding energy would make even thermonuclear explosions look feeble by comparison. Antimatter is an idea long beloved of science-fiction writers--but here, renowned science writer Frank Close shows that the reality of antimatter is even more intriguing than the fiction. We know that at one time antimatter and matter existed in perfect counterbalance, and that antimatter then perpetrated a vanishing act on a cosmic scale that remains one of the great mysteries of the universe. Today, antimatter does not exist normally, at least on Earth, but we know that it is real, as scientists are now able to make small pieces of it in particle accelerators, such as that at CERN in Geneva. Looking at the remarkable prediction of antimatter and how it grew from the meeting point of relativity and quantum theory in the early 20th century, at the discovery of the first antiparticles, at cosmic rays, annihilation, antimatter bombs, and antiworlds, Close separates the facts from the fiction about antimatter, and explains how its existence can give us profound clues about the origins and structure of the universe. For all those wishing to take a closer look at the flip side of the visible world, this lucidly written book shines a bright light into a truly strange realm. "Beautifully written... This book will inspire a sense of awe in even the most seasoned of physics readers." --Amanda Gefter, New Scientist "This is a must read for fans of science and science fiction alike." --John Gribbin, (http://www.bbcfocusmagazine.com) www.bbcfocusmagazine.com Cover ......Page 1 Title ......Page 4 Copyright ......Page 5 Acknowledgements ......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 Foreword......Page 11 1. ANTIMATTER: FACT OR FICTION?......Page 12 Did Antimatter Hit the Earth?......Page 15 Powerful Antimatter......Page 18 Antimatter Secrets......Page 20 Natural Antimatter......Page 22 2. THE MATERIAL WORLD......Page 26 Matter and Antimatter......Page 28 Spectra and the Quantum Electron......Page 31 The Spinning Electron......Page 36 E is for Einstein and E = mc[sup(2)]......Page 37 Paul Dirac......Page 43 Two for the Price of One......Page 47 The Infinite Sea......Page 52 What is this Positive Electron?......Page 55 4. A COSMIC DISCOVERY......Page 60 The Discovery of the Positron......Page 61 Blackett and Creation......Page 67 Positrons on Earth......Page 70 Neither Matter nor Antimatter......Page 75 More Antiparticles......Page 80 Quarks—and Antiquarks......Page 84 When Quark Meets Antiquark......Page 88 The All-Destructive Substance......Page 91 Storing Antiprotons......Page 95 The Penning Trap......Page 98 Antiprotons in the Trap......Page 101 Antihydrogen and the Antimatter Factory......Page 104 LEP......Page 106 Backwards in Time?......Page 112 The Strange Behaviour of Strange Particles......Page 117 Don’t Shake Hands with an Anti-alien......Page 121 The Mystery of the Missing Antimatter......Page 124 Replaying the Big Bang......Page 130 Neutrinos......Page 132 Apocalypse—not Quite......Page 137 Antimatter Fictions and Factoids......Page 139 The Power of Antimatter......Page 144 Antimatter at Large......Page 145 Fantasies: Antimatter Bombs......Page 148 Antimatter: To Boldly Go......Page 151 Antimatter: A Fiction Thought to be Fact......Page 154 Antimatter Fact-ory......Page 158 APPENDIX 1: THE COST OF ANTIMATTER......Page 160 APPENDIX 2: ‘THE DIRAC CODE’......Page 163 Endnotes......Page 169 Bibliography......Page 171 A......Page 172 D......Page 173 I......Page 174 N......Page 175 Q......Page 176 Z......Page 177 Antimatter explores a strange mirror world, where particles have identical yet opposite properties to those that make up the familiar matter we encounter everyday; where left becomes right, positive becomes negative; and where, should matter and antimatter meet, the two annihilate in a blinding flash of energy that makes even thermonuclear explosions look feeble by comparison. It is an idea long beloved of science-fiction stories - but here, renowned science writer Frank Close shows that the reality of antimatter is even more fascinating than the fiction itself. We know that once, antimatter and matter existed in perfect counterbalance, and that antimatter then perpetrated a vanishing act on a cosmic scale that remains one of the greatest mysteries of the universe. Today, antimatter does not exist normally, at least on Earth, but we know that it is real for scientists are now able to make small pieces of it in particle accelerators, such as that at CERN in Geneva. Looking at the remarkable prediction of antimatter and how it grew from the meeting point of relativity and quantum theory in the early 20th century, at the discovery of the first antiparticles, at cosmic rays, annihilation, antimatter bombs, and antiworlds, Close separates the facts from the fiction about antimatter, and explains how its existence can give us profound clues about the origins and structure of the universe. Frank Close explores the strange mirror world of antimatter, revealing that the reality is even more fascinating than the sci-fi stories suggest. Explaining the science behind one of physics' most extraordinary discoveries, he shows how, through understanding antimatter, we can shed light on some of the deepest mysteries of the universe. - ;Antimatter explores a strange mirror world, where particles have identical yet opposite properties to those that make up the familiar matter we encounter everyday; where left becomes right, positive becomes negative; and where, should matter and antimatter Antimatter: Fact Or Fiction? -- The Material World -- Tablets Of Stone -- A Cosmic Discovery -- Annihilation -- Storing Antimatter -- The Mirror Universe -- Why Is There Anything At All? -- Revelations. Frank Close. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 160) And Index. Antimatter consists of particles that are mirror images of those of matter. And should a particle of antimatter meet its matter counterpart, both are annihilated in a spectacular burst of energy. Science fiction? No, science fact Antimatter is a weird opposite to matter that will destroy everything it touches; it could be the ultimate source of power or weapon of mass destruction. This book explains what it is and what it can do