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A theoretical question about matter/antimatter and capacitors

Physics Asked by Robert Gawron on November 26, 2020

Let’s assume that the experiment is done in a vacuum and there’s a circuit as in the attachment. The values of voltage/resistance/capacitance are insignificant.

Assume that the right terminals of capacitors and the wire that connect them are made from antimatter, all else is made from regular matter.

My question is, would the voltage observed on resistor be the same as with the above terminals/wires made from regular matter?

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2 Answers

Yes. The voltage across the resistor will be the same whether the right half of the circuit is constructed from matter or anti-matter.

During the parts of the period of the sine wave when the upper terminal of the supply is at a positive potential relative to the lower terminal (as indicated in the diagram) then conventional current will flow clockwise in the circuit meaning that

  • electrons will flow from the left terminal of the upper capacitor into the upper terminal of the voltage supply and
  • electrons will flow from the lower terminal of the supply through the resistor into the left terminal of the lower capacitor.
  • anti-electrons (positive charge) will flow from the right terminal of the upper capacitor into the right terminal of the lower capacitor.

So we would see both electrons and anti-electrons flowing out of the upper capacitor (with a net-conventional current rightwards) and we would see both electrons and anti-electrons flowing into the lower capacitor (with a net-conventional current leftwards).

All that matters for the resistor voltage is the current running through it and that would be same with matter or anti-matter. The two capacitor terminals interact through the electric field within the capacitor and matter and anti-matter charges produce electric fields the same way.

Correct answer by jgerber on November 26, 2020

your circuit would annihilate immediately you can not have matter and antimatter together. The question is how will you get antimatter in the first place?

Answered by trula on November 26, 2020

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