The phenomenon of

pair production
Pair production is a phenomenon of
nature where energy is converted to
mass. It provides a conceptual
framework for how our internal world
gets translated into the physical reality
we experience.
In this phenomenon a wave of energy or a photon
(a packet of energy) interacts with a heavy nucleus
to form an electron - positron pair.

Pair production is observed to occur in nature when

a photon or an energy wave packet, of greater that
1.02 million electron volts passes near the electric
field of a large atom such as lead, uranium or other
heavy material with a large number of protons
(around an atomic number of 80 or 90). An electron
volt is the amount of energy necessary to
accelerate an electron through a electric potential
of one volt.
In the pair production process, as diagramed in the
figure labeled “Pair Production - Energy Conversion
to Mass,” the photon is literally split into an electron
and its anti-particle, called a positron. Both have a
rest mass energy equivalent of 0.511 million electron
volts. (Since mass and energy are equivalent, the
mass energy equivalent is just the amount of energy
that it would take to form the mass of the particle.
For an electron that has a mass of 9.11 x 10-24 grams
its equivalent energy is 0.511 million electron volts.
If the original packet of energy is greater than 1.02
million electron volts, any energy above 1.02 million
electron volts is split between the kinetic energy of
motion of the two particle. The forward momentum
of the original photon is also preserved in that both
the electron and positron go off at an angle such
that their total momentum and that of the recoiling
nucleus equals the momentum of the original
photon.
It is important to note the both mass-energy and
momentum are conserved in this interaction. What
this means is that when observed from outside the
process, everything that existed before the
interaction was retained and exists afterwards but
only in a different form. In the big picture nothing has
changed. In the segments of the process there is a
radical transformation and from an mass point of
view, something is created from nothing. There is
creation of mass from seemingly nothingness.
The positron is the anti-particle of the electron and
will be annihilated if it combines with an electron
producing energy such that mass is converted back
into energy. Since all electrons are equal, any
electron can annihilate the positron.
 Two different points about pair production

1. You needed the correct energy to

produce the electron-positron pair. In
particular, you need the equivalent rest
mass of energy, that is the amount of
energy contained in the both the particle
and antiparticle when at rest.
 Two different points about pair production

2. It needs a correct environment. The

process does not occur unless certain
conditions are present.
 Pair Production and Annihilation Worked Solution
-31
1. The mass of an electron is 9.11x10 kg.
What is the minimum amount of energy a
photon must have to create an electron?

2. A 1.1 MeV electron annihilates with a 1.1

MeV positron. What is the total energy of the
photon produced?
The phenomenon of
electron-positron
annihilation
Electron-Positron annihilation occurs when an
electron and a positron (the electron’s anti-
particle) collide. The result of the collision at
low energies is the annihilation of the electron
and positron, and the creation of gamma ray
photons:

e+e y+y
 Reverse of Pair Production
- A nuclear in origin, possessing a positive
charge and mass equal to an electron.
- A positron is the sister particle to the
electron.

“Annihilation” means to vanish or to cease from existing.

Therefore, annihilation of matter means the reaction in
which two particles collide and vanish ad release of
energy.
 Reverse of Pair Production

The most common annihilation on Earth occurs between

an electron and its anti-particle, a positron.

The amount of energy produced by annihilation is equal

to:

E= mc²
Assessment:
321 Exit Card:
Submit their 3-2-1 Exit card on pair
production and pair annihilation:
3- new ideas that they learned from the
lesson
2- things that reinforce what they know
about the lesson
1-questions they still have about the lesson