3.2.1.3
Every particle has an antimatter counterpart with opposite charge
Particles, Antiparticles & Photons — AQA A-Level Physics
- All particles of matter have an antimatter counterpart.
- Antimatter particles have the same mass but opposite chargeA property of matter that causes it to experience a force in an electromagnetic field. Measured in coulombs (C)..
- Antiparticles are named with the prefix 'anti-' and written with a bar over the symbol (e.g. $\bar{p}$ for antiproton).
- The electron's antiparticle is the positron ($e^{+}$) — the exception to the naming convention.
Common matter-antimatter pairs
- Electron ($e^{-}$, chargeA property of matter that causes it to experience a force in an electromagnetic field. Measured in coulombs (C). $-1$) and positron ($e^{+}$, chargeA property of matter that causes it to experience a force in an electromagnetic field. Measured in coulombs (C). $+1$).
- Proton ($p$, charge $+1$) and antiproton ($\bar{p}$, charge $-1$).
- Neutron ($n$, charge $0$) and antineutron ($\bar{n}$, charge $0$).
- Neutrino ($\nu_e$, charge $0$) and anti-neutrino ($\bar{\nu}_e$, charge $0$).
Rest mass-energyThe capacity to do work. Measured in joules (J).
- Rest mass-energyThe capacity to do work. Measured in joules (J). is the energyThe capacity to do work. Measured in joules (J). equivalent to the mass of a particle at rest.
- A particle and its antiparticle have the same rest mass-energy.
- Proton/antiproton: $m = 1.67(3) \times 10^{-27}$ kg, rest mass-energy $= 938.3$ MeV.
- Electron/positron: $m = 9.11 \times 10^{-31}$ kg, rest mass-energy $= 0.511$ MeV.
- Neutrino/anti-neutrino: mass $\approx 0$, rest mass-energy $\approx 0$.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
- The data sheet gives masses in kg and rest mass-energies in MeV for the proton, neutron, electron and neutrino.
- You don't need to memorise these values.