Teaching Physics with the Physics Suite

Edward F. Redish

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Anti-matter for California

In the year 2001 California had an apparent power crisis. At the time, the California electric grid supplied electrical energy at an average rate of about 25 GW (=25x109 W). When demand went up to 40 GW there was difficulty supplying enough power. Demand reached those high levels on hot days when everyone wanted to use air conditioners.

Since we know anti-matter can unite with matter and convert entirely to energy, estimate what mass of anti-matter would have been needed to prevent the power crisis in California for one year.


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Page last modified October 31, 2002: MP11