Photon decay into Electron and Positron

In summary, photon decay into electron and positron is a process where a high energy photon spontaneously transforms into an electron and a positron pair. This process occurs through the annihilation of the photon and creation of an electron-positron pair. It is significant for understanding electromagnetic fields and is not a common phenomenon in everyday life. It is related to other particle interactions through the concept of charge conservation.
  • #1
TheRedDragon
3
0

Homework Statement



Show that the energy momentum conservation forbids the reaction (gamma)-> positron + electron,

Gamma is a photon, which is chargeless and massless

Homework Equations



E(photon)=hf
p(photon)=hf/c
Conservation of Energy
Conservation of Momentum
4-momentum

The Attempt at a Solution



My intuition is just to state that a massless and chargeless particle cannot create two particles with mass and charge. Is this correct?
 
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  • #2
Nope.
 

FAQ: Photon decay into Electron and Positron

1. What is photon decay into electron and positron?

Photon decay into electron and positron is a process where a high energy photon spontaneously transforms into an electron and a positron (anti-electron) pair. This process can occur in the presence of an electric field or near a heavy nucleus.

2. How does photon decay into electron and positron occur?

In the quantum field theory perspective, this process is described as the annihilation of the photon and creation of an electron-positron pair. This can happen through a virtual electron-positron pair that is created from the vacuum and then becomes real.

3. What is the significance of photon decay into electron and positron?

This process is significant because it is a way for photons to interact with matter and create new particles. It is also important for understanding the behavior of electromagnetic fields in the presence of charged particles.

4. Is photon decay into electron and positron a common phenomenon?

No, this process is not very common in everyday life. It mainly occurs in high-energy environments such as near heavy nuclei or in particle accelerators. However, it is an important process in the study of quantum electrodynamics.

5. How is photon decay into electron and positron related to other particle interactions?

This process is related to other particle interactions through the concept of charge conservation. Since the photon has no charge, it must produce particles with opposite charges in order to conserve overall charge in the system.

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