Question

In pair production, what particles are produced when the interaction occurs?

a) Positrons and antineutrinos
b) Protons and electrons
c) Neutrons and neutrinos
d) Photons and muons

Answer 1

In pair production, a photon creates an electron and a positron, demonstrating the conversion of energy into mass and providing evidence for antimatter.

Step-by-step explanation:

In pair production, the interaction of a photon with an energy threshold equivalent to twice the rest mass of an electron in the vicinity of a nucleus leads to the creation of two particles: an electron and its antimatter counterpart, a positron. This process is significant because it illustrates the conversion of energy into mass according to the principles of Einstein's famous equation E=mc², and it provides evidence of the existence of antimatter, where antiparticles have the same properties as their matter counterparts but with opposite electric charge. In the context of the student's multiple-choice question, the correct answer is (a) positrons and antineutrinos.