Antiparticle facts for kids

Imagine a 'mirror image' for almost every tiny particle in the universe. This is an antiparticle. It's like a twin, but with some key differences. An antiparticle has the same weight (mass) as its regular particle. But it has the opposite electric charge. For example, an electron has a negative charge. Its antiparticle, called a positron, has a positive charge.

Even particles with no electric charge, like a neutron, have an antiparticle. A regular neutron is made of tiny bits called quarks. Its antiparticle, the antineutron, is made of antiquarks. So, they are not exactly the same.

When a particle and its antiparticle meet, they can destroy each other. This process is called annihilation. It releases a lot of energy. Scientists can also create antiparticles. They do this using powerful machines called particle accelerators. These machines help them study how particles work. Antiparticles can also be found in nature. They appear in cosmic rays from space and in some nuclear reactions. The term antimatter refers to these antiparticles. It also includes bigger things made from them, like antihydrogen atoms.

Discovering Antiparticles

Scientists first predicted antiparticles before they actually saw them. In 1928, a physicist named Paul Dirac suggested that particles like the electron should have an antimatter partner.

The Positron's Discovery

Just a few years later, in 1932, his idea was proven right. A scientist named Carl Anderson was studying cosmic rays. These are high-energy particles from space. He used a special tool called a cloud chamber. This device shows the paths of tiny particles. Anderson saw particles that looked like electrons. But they curved in the opposite direction. This meant they had a positive charge instead of a negative one. He called this new particle the positron. It was the first antiparticle ever found.

Finding Antiprotons and Antineutrons

Later, in 1955, more antiparticles were discovered. Scientists Emilio Segrè and Owen Chamberlain found the antiproton and antineutron. They made these at the University of California, Berkeley. Since then, scientists have created antiparticles for many other tiny particles. They use powerful particle accelerators to do this.

Creating Antimatter Atoms

In more recent times, scientists have gone even further. They have managed to build whole atoms of antimatter. For example, they have made anti-hydrogen atoms. They do this by combining antiprotons and positrons. These antimatter atoms are then held in special electromagnetic traps. This stops them from touching regular matter and annihilating.

See also

In Spanish: Antipartícula para niños