[BenLurkin]

Would matter/anti-matter reactions create energy? Would it be safer than nuclear power?

[mlo]

Would matter/anti-matter reactions create energy? Would it be safer than nuclear power?

Yes, but it's a safe bet that more energy was spent to produce the anti-matter than would be released in a matter/anti-matter reaction.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Yes, No.

The cost of generating the anti-matter would still be greater than the net energy gain.

[SkyRat]

Would matter/anti-matter reactions create energy?

It would relase a lot of energy. A matter <-> anti-matter reaction is 100% mass to energy transformation. A nuclear bomb on the other hand only transforms around 8% of it's mass.


Would it be safer than nuclear power?

No. Any contact between normal and anti matter is big firework. The only way to contain antimatter is by some sort of magnetic trap.

[Kozak]

May not lead to Warp drive, but it sure could lead to a hell of bang. Matter antimatter anihilation is a 200% efficient release of energy as 100% of the matter and 100% of the antimatter gets converted to energy. Compare that to the less then 1% efficiency of a hydrogen bomb and you can see what I mean....

[KellyAdmirer]

But it could help scientists answer some of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the universe.

Just once I'd like to hear these guys say that some breakthrough won't help solve a darn thing except how to make my gas bucket get an extra 20 miles a gallon. ;)

[El Gato]

Would matter/anti-matter reactions create energy? Would it be safer than nuclear power?

Hate to be Clintoneque, but it depends on your meaning of "create". In an antimatter/matter reaction, the entire mass of both sorts of matter is converted to energy, via Einstien's famous E=MC^2. In a fission or even fusion reaction only a very small fraction of the mass of the matter is converted to energy, the matter products of the reaction having very slightly less mass than the original atoms. With matter/antimatter there are no reaction products other than energy, in the form of gamma rays.

Safer than nuclear? Probably not, but since the techology isn't here yet, who can say?

BTW, 50,000 atoms is still a miniscule amount of anti-matter. I don't have time at the moment to run through the calculations to determine how much energy in familiar terms, such as kilowatt hours or tons of TNT, that would be liberated if they were combined with 50,000 normal hydrogen atoms.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Would matter/anti-matter reactions create energy?

No. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another.

Matter/anti-matter reactions are a release of energy. Not the creation of it.

Would it be safer than fission? Likely, yes. But only if the reaction can be controlled.

[drmatt]

Are you kidding? Haven't you seen what happens in Star Trek when they lose containment of the warp core?