Question

When $\beta^{+}$ and $\beta^{-}$ particles collide, they annihilate each other, producing two $\gamma$ rays that move away from each other along a straight line. What is the approximate energies of these two $\gamma$ rays, in MeV?

Name: Problem 40, Chapter 25: General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications
Uploaded: 2020-07-29T22:37:14-08:00
Duration: 1 min 18 s
Channel: Bin Chen
Description: When β^+ and β^- particles collide, they annihilate each other, producing two γrays that move away from each other along a straight line. What is the approximate energies of these two γrays, in MeV?

   When $\beta^{+}$ and $\beta^{-}$ particles collide, they annihilate each other, producing two $\gamma$ rays that move away from each other along a straight line. What is the approximate energies of these two $\gamma$ rays, in MeV?

General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications

Ralph H. Petrucci,… 10th Edition

Chapter 25, Problem 40

Instant Answer

Solved by Expert Bin Chen

07/29/2020

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A $\beta^{+}$ particle is a positron, which is the antiparticle of an electron, and a $\beta^{-}$ particle is an electron. Show more…

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When $\beta^{+}$ and $\beta^{-}$ particles collide, they annihilate each other, producing two $\gamma$ rays that move away from each other along a straight line. What is the approximate energies of these two $\gamma$ rays, in MeV?

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Key Concepts

Particle-Antiparticle Annihilation

This is a process in which a particle and its corresponding antiparticle, such as an electron and a positron, collide and convert their total mass into energy. This conversion occurs according to Einstein's mass-energy equivalence principle, E = mc², resulting in the production of high-energy photons.

Rest Mass Energy

Each particle, like the electron or positron, possesses an intrinsic energy due to its mass even when at rest, calculated using E = mc². For electrons and positrons, this rest mass energy is approximately 511 keV (0.511 MeV), which is the energy released as gamma rays upon annihilation.

Conservation of Energy

In particle interactions such as annihilation, the total energy before and after the event must remain constant. During electron-positron annihilation, the energy contained in the particles’ rest masses is fully converted into the energy of gamma ray photons, ensuring that energy is conserved in the process.

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