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Cato
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Electrons and positrons are assumed to be point masses. Two points presumably can never actually touch. How close do they have to be before they annihilate each other?
Cato said:Electrons and positrons are assumed to be point masses.
Cato said:How close do they have to be before they annihilate each other?
Quantum9999 said:In annihilation, the positron and electron collide head on moving at the same speed.
The standard scattering matrix elements give the probability density that an electron and a positron in a plane wave (thus delocalized with precise momentum but completely uncertain position) annihilate. This translates into a decay rate for streams of colliding pairs in two beams. For other states (strictly speaking also for beams - using the paraxial approximation) one has to take the appropriate superposition of momentum states to calculate the probability. Since there are no normalizable position states, there will always be some nonlocality (lack of precise position).Cato said:How close do they have to be before they annihilate each other?
The distance between electrons and positrons for interaction to occur is extremely small, on the order of 10^-15 meters. This is because they are both subatomic particles with opposite charges, and they are attracted to each other by the electromagnetic force.
When electrons and positrons interact, they annihilate each other and release energy in the form of gamma rays. This is because they have equal mass but opposite charges, and when they come into contact, their energy is converted into photons.
No, electrons and positrons can only interact when they are within a certain distance of each other. This is because the electromagnetic force weakens with distance, and at a certain point, it is not strong enough to overcome the repulsion between the particles.
The closer electrons and positrons are to each other, the stronger their interaction will be. This is because the electromagnetic force is stronger at shorter distances, and therefore, the particles will experience a greater attraction towards each other.
Yes, electrons and positrons can also interact with other particles, such as protons and neutrons, through the electromagnetic force. However, the distance and strength of their interaction will depend on the charges and masses of the particles involved.