UPSC Prelims 2012 Q18: Science & Technology – Physics
A team of scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory including those from India created
the heaviest anti - matter (anti - helium nucleus). What is/are the implication/implications of the
creation of anti - matter?
1. It will make mineral prospecting and oil exploration easier and cheaper.
2. It will help probe the possibility of the existence of stars and galaxies made of anti - matter.
3. It will help understand the evolution of the universe.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Explanation
Creation of the heaviest anti-matter
In 2011, scientists at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in the United States made the anti-helium-4 nucleus, the heaviest anti-matter seen so far.
It was made in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider.
| Statement | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1. It will make mineral prospecting and oil exploration easier and cheaper | Incorrect | No such practical use |
| 2. It will help probe the possibility of the existence of stars and galaxies made of anti-matter | Correct | It tells scientists what signal to look for in space |
| 3. It will help understand the evolution of the universe | Correct | The Big Bang should have made equal matter and anti-matter; why matter won is a great puzzle |
About anti-matter:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Particles with the same mass but opposite charge |
| Examples | Positron (anti-electron), anti-proton |
| When it meets matter | Both are destroyed, giving off energy (annihilation) |
| Everyday use | PET scans use positrons |
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Anti-matter has no role in mineral prospecting or oil exploration.
- (b) CORRECT. It helps probe anti-matter stars and galaxies and the evolution of the universe.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 2 is also true.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 1 is false.
Key point
Anti-helium-4 (Brookhaven, 2011): heaviest anti-matter made; helps study the matter-antimatter imbalance and the early universe; positrons are used in PET scans.
Remember
Anti-matter research = origin of the universe.
Common mistakes
- Expecting a commercial use from a basic-physics result.
- Confusing anti-matter with dark matter.
- Forgetting that matter and anti-matter annihilate each other.
Exam tip
Basic physics discoveries explain the universe; they do not find oil.
Sources
- Brookhaven National Laboratory — STAR Collaboration: Observation of the antimatter helium-4 nucleus (2011)
- CERN — Antimatter