Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

damondefault t1_jc1g5it wrote

Reply to comment by CainIsmene in As they still have a neutral charge, can antineutrons replace neutrons in a regular atom? by Oheligud

Ok but did you remember that reaction chain off the top of your head or did you have to look some of it up?

10

sejanus21 t1_jc1p09h wrote

my question is are you guys talking about real observable things or are these words you all utter theoretically? like string theory.

3

Sharlinator t1_jc1ujz3 wrote

Well, theory predicts these reactions and experiments eg. with particle colliders have shown that the predictions match exactly what actually happens, to a high precision.

Indeed the theory (the so-called standard model of particle physics) is so successful that phycisists are frustrated because despite its success, it’s also incomplete, but not even the LHC has found even a hint of any new physics beyond the standard model.

19

bildramer t1_jc1q83k wrote

You can build an actual machine to detect muons from space (more precisely: from the upper atmosphere), for example. The particles are all very short-lived, but they do exist.

14

mesouschrist t1_jc20scn wrote

I work on an experiment that traps antiprotons and we detect their presence by having them hit the wall of the trap (made of, obviously, normal matter) and we detect the charged pions. While these aren't antineutrons, it's the same exact concept. So yes this process is definitely observable.

11

Doc_Lewis t1_jc2ju74 wrote

For a real world application, see PET scans. Positron emission tomography, a common imaging technique in healthcare, relies upon certain radioactive isotopes that undergo beta decay. That is to say, an up quark in a proton flips to down, and turns the proton into a neutron, and ejects a positron (antimatter electron). When the positron meets an electron, they annihilate and release gamma rays, which are detected.

3