In pair production, a photon is converted into an electron and a positron. (A po

Question

In pair production, a photon is converted into an electron and a positron. (A positron has the same rest mass (512 keV) as an electron but has a positive charge, +e. It is the antimatter "twin" of an electron. In pair production, matter in the form of an electron and a positron is created from energy according to Einstein's energy equation, E = mc2.

What is the minimum energy of a photon for pair production?
Emin:

In pair production, a photon is converted into an electron and a positron. (A positron has the same rest mass (512 keV) as an electron but has a positive charge, +e. It is the antimatter ''twin'' of an electron. In pair production, matter in the form of an electron and a positron is created from energy according to Einstein's energy equation, E = mc2. What is the minimum energy of a photon for pair production? Emin:

Explanation / Answer

the electron has a rest energy of 512 eV = 0.512 MeV. Therefore, for pair production of an electron and a positron from a photon:

The minimum energy = 2 x 0.512 MeV = 1.024 MeV = 1.64 x10^-13 J

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