E-p Pair creation without nuclear collision?

[FieldIntensity]

Can an e-p pair be created simply from field interactions rather than brute force collisions of atomic nuclei?

 

[jgraber]

Creating e's and p's

In theory, you could collide two photons and get an e (and an anti-e) and also a p (and an anti-p). But that’s probably not what you meant.
Also in theory, a vey small black hole can create e’s and p’s via Hawking radiation. “Rip em right out of the vacuum”, according to some popularizations.

Jim

 

[sir-pinski]

Yes, it is possible for an e-p pair to be created without nuclear collision through field interactions. This process is known as pair production, where a high-energy photon interacts with the electric field of a nucleus or an atom, creating an e-p pair.

In this scenario, the energy of the photon is converted into the mass of the e-p pair according to Einstein's famous equation E=mc^2. This process is commonly observed in high-energy particle interactions, such as in particle accelerators or during interactions with cosmic rays.

In contrast, nuclear collisions involve the direct interaction of atomic nuclei, resulting in the release of massive amounts of energy and the creation of various particles, including e-p pairs. This process is typically associated with high-energy phenomena, such as nuclear reactions or particle collisions.

Overall, while nuclear collisions are a common method of e-p pair creation, it is also possible for this process to occur through field interactions. Both methods play important roles in our understanding of particle physics and the creation of e-p pairs.