answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

This supposition is not true. Mutual annihilation, which occurs when a positron combines with an electron, will result in the conversion of all of the mass of both particles into energy. And this will result in the formation of two photons. The production of the photon pair is the result of conservation laws, and the two photons leave the event in opposite directions. Use the related link below to learn more.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Two. Producing only one photon would violate the law of conservation of momentum.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: The collision of one electron and one positron produces one or two photons?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Physics

What the difference between positive and negative electrons?

an electron always has a negative chargea positron is identical in all respects to an electron (sometimes it is called a "positive electron"), except it always has a positive charge and is antimatter (not matter)If an electron and a positron meet they will both cease to exist (annihilation) and gamma ray photons will be created.


What is the mass number of a positron?

The mass of a positron is approximately 9.1093826(16) × 10−31 kg. The positron and the electron are anti-particles of each other, and you can find out more about the positron at the Wikipedia article on that subject. A link to their post can be found below. There is also a link to a related question on the nature of the positron. That's down there, too.


Where does the particle photon come from?

A photon may be both a particle and a wave (light). Photons are normally emitted when an electron loses energy either by bending its path or by falling from a higher orbital state to a lower orbital state. Very high energy photons called gamma ray can also be formed from a positron and and electron merging.


Why do you get photons or other particles in annihilation of subatomic particles?

In annihilation between electron and positron, you should get nothing in your hand. Instead of that you get a pair of photons. The question is that why should you get the pair of photons. So this is not complete annihilation. The answer is simple to this question. When you bring the electron and positron slowly to each other, they will annihilate to each other and will not produce the photons also. But when the particles come with high speed, they carry the energy and have momentum. This energy is converted into photons of different wave length and the electron and positron disappear or get completely annihilated. When you have heavy particles like protons and anti-protons or neutrons and anti-neutrons strike to each other, you get much larger amount of energy that is left. Because they are brought to each other at high speed, they have high momentum and so carry the large amount of energy. This energy is liberated after the annihilation. When enough quantum of energy is there, you have production of electrons, positrons and neutrinos get generated. The rest of the energy is left in the form of photons. When larger molecules of matter and antimatter will collide with each other, you may get smaller molecules of matter and antimatter in your hand.


How are photons made?

Photons are either created or absorbed when a electron makes a quantum leap inside an atom

Related questions

What would happen if a positron met an electron?

When a positron meets an electron, they annihilate or destroy each other.This phenomena is known as annihilation of matter. During this process two photons of gamma rays are produced that travel in opposite directions.Actually the mass of electron and positron has been converted into energy (gamma rays).


What the difference between positive and negative electrons?

an electron always has a negative chargea positron is identical in all respects to an electron (sometimes it is called a "positive electron"), except it always has a positive charge and is antimatter (not matter)If an electron and a positron meet they will both cease to exist (annihilation) and gamma ray photons will be created.


What is the mass number of a positron?

The mass of a positron is approximately 9.1093826(16) × 10−31 kg. The positron and the electron are anti-particles of each other, and you can find out more about the positron at the Wikipedia article on that subject. A link to their post can be found below. There is also a link to a related question on the nature of the positron. That's down there, too.


Where does the particle photon come from?

A photon may be both a particle and a wave (light). Photons are normally emitted when an electron loses energy either by bending its path or by falling from a higher orbital state to a lower orbital state. Very high energy photons called gamma ray can also be formed from a positron and and electron merging.


Where do the electrons come from in proton proton chain reaction if hydrogen has only a proton in its atom?

when the 2 Hydrogen nuclei fuse, one of the protons is changed to a neutron via beta + decay, this produces an atom of Deuterium, a positron (beta + particle) and a neutrino. This positron will only travel a short distance before contacting an electron and annihilating each other to convert their masses and kinetic energies into the energy of the photons. The electron is most probably a free electron, as the high temperatures involved in Nuclear fusion would have provided enough energy to ionise electrons from their parent atom.


Why do you get photons or other particles in annihilation of subatomic particles?

In annihilation between electron and positron, you should get nothing in your hand. Instead of that you get a pair of photons. The question is that why should you get the pair of photons. So this is not complete annihilation. The answer is simple to this question. When you bring the electron and positron slowly to each other, they will annihilate to each other and will not produce the photons also. But when the particles come with high speed, they carry the energy and have momentum. This energy is converted into photons of different wave length and the electron and positron disappear or get completely annihilated. When you have heavy particles like protons and anti-protons or neutrons and anti-neutrons strike to each other, you get much larger amount of energy that is left. Because they are brought to each other at high speed, they have high momentum and so carry the large amount of energy. This energy is liberated after the annihilation. When enough quantum of energy is there, you have production of electrons, positrons and neutrinos get generated. The rest of the energy is left in the form of photons. When larger molecules of matter and antimatter will collide with each other, you may get smaller molecules of matter and antimatter in your hand.


If a photon is the product of the Dirac annihilation energy of a virtual electron-positron pair how is the energy dispersed?

In mutual annihilation, a positron and an electron combine. and the masses of both particles are entirely converted into energy. The energy is divided between not one but two gamma rays, each moving in the opposite direction. Only the two photons are produced in this phenomenon, and all quantum mechanical characteristics must be conserved. Additionally, the use of the term "virtual" to describe the electron-positron pair is probably something that might be avoided.We might note that the mutual distruction of an electron-positron pair is called mutual annihilation by physics types. A separate question (and its answer) exist. There is a bit more to this as regards the aspects of conservation, but the essential ideas are all contained here. Use the links below for more information.


How are photons made?

Photons are either created or absorbed when a electron makes a quantum leap inside an atom


What happens to a proton and an anti proton during a collision?

They convert in to two photons


What are particles that move quickly away from the sun's surface called?

Photons. (In the form of electromagnetic radiation)


If an electron and photon both have energy of 5 mega electron volt which will cause pair production?

pair production only occurs with photons. The necessary condition is that the energy of the photon is greater than that of the two particles that are going to be produced. With 5 mega electron volts as an energy your photon would still not have enough juice as the two smallest particles that can be build are electron and its anti patricle the positron. Both have 511 MeV. You are looking at a trickquestion as neither can.


Do photon have a greater energy than electron?

No. A photon has no rest mass an electron has mass.