Electron-positron pair production may play a role in a pulsar's beamed radiation mechanism. Find the minimum energy required for the process y → e+e+. What wavelength and what kind of EM radiation are these photons?
Electron-positron pair production may play a role in a pulsar's beamed radiation mechanism. Find the minimum energy required for the process y → e+e+. What wavelength and what kind of EM radiation are these photons?
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Transcribed Image Text:Electron-positron pair production may play a role in a pulsar's beamed radiation mechanism. Find the
minimum energy required for the process y → e+e+. What wavelength and what kind of EM radiation are
these photons?
Expert Solution
Step 1
The minimum energy required for the pair production to take place is when both the electron and positron are at rest so that the energy required is equal to the sum of the rest mass of the electron and positron.
so, the minimum energy required for the pair production is,
rest mass energy of electron + rest mass energy of positron,
or, E= m0+ m0,
since the rest mass energy of electron/positron = 0.51 MeV,
so, E= 0.51 MeV + 0.51 MeV,
or E= 1.02 MeV
So, the minimum energy for the pair production is 1.02 MeV.
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