Particles and Antiparticles (Basic Notes)

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  • Created by: Bethany
  • Created on: 26-03-13 13:46
  • Antiparticles were predicted before they were discovered.
  • Paul Dirac predicted the existence of a particle that was like and electron but with a positive electric charge. This proved to be correct, and the positron (electron with a positive charge) was discovered in an experiment involving cosmic rays. A positron has an identical mass and energy in MeV to its antiparticle, but its charge is opposite.
  • It is not just electrons that have an antiparticle. In fact every particle type has a corresponding antiparticle, again with the same mass put opposite charge. For example an anti-proton is a negatively charged particle with the same mass as a proton.
  • When you convert energy into mass, you always get equal amounts of matter and anti-matter.
  • If two protons are fired at each other at a high speed, there is a great amount of energy at the impact point…

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