Scientists Finally Able To Measure Antimatter For The First Time [VIDEO]
Scientists have made a revolutionary discovery by measuring the antimatter for the first time in the history of Science. Antimatter is a thing which always fascinates both Quantum & Theoretical Physicists. The concept of antimatter was first given by the British Physicist Paul Dirac.
He explained that the antimatter is just like the mathematical equation X² = 4. The 'X' has two possible values like X=2 or X= -2, the same theory applies to the universe -one with positive(+ve) valued matters & the other with negative(-ve) valued matters.
A matter is usually made of Atoms. Each atom consists of 3 different charges proton, electron & neutron. Electron is negative(-ve), neutron is neutral & Proton is positively(+ve) charged. In the case of antimatter, electrons become positively charged, which is known as Positron & protons become negatively charged aka antiproton. As these kind of matters are consist of antiparticles, that's why it's called antimatter.
Physicists from European Organization for Nuclear Research(CERN) have made a groundbreaking experiment by measuring the energy level of antihydrogen for the first time. This experiment was executed in particle physics lab outside Geneva, according to the report by popularmechanics.
Scientists used Hydrogen for this process because Hydrogen is the most simple & fundamental element of Periodic Table. It is only made of one electron & one proton, so making of antihydrogen is easier than any other elements. Although the making of antimatter is incredibly difficult because, when it comes to the contact of matter it superposes each other & releases a lot of energy.
Founder of ALPHA group at CERN, Dr. Jeffrey Hangst said in a press release,"What you hear about in science fiction-that antimatter gets annihilated by normal matter-is 100 percent true,[It] is the greatest challenge in my everyday life."
The ALPHA researchers combined antiprotons & positrons in a vacuum tube with an extreme magnetic field to prevent them colliding the wall of the container. Then using the powerful laser, researchers excited antiprotons & positrons to make collision & form the antiatom. Using this technique, the team was able to sustain antimatter for about 15 minutes. These reports were first published in Nature journal.
Although it is just a beginning, there are many things to learn about antimatters. Scientists are hopeful that one day in distant future antimatters will be a perfect alternative for rocket fuel.
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