Pair Production: Why Not in Empty Space?

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SUMMARY

Pair production cannot occur in empty space because it requires an external field to provide the necessary energy for particle creation. Photons must interact with an external field, such as an atomic nucleus or an electron, to generate sufficient energy for the formation of particle pairs. Without this interaction, the energy of the photon remains insufficient, preventing the pair production process from taking place.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of pair production in quantum physics
  • Knowledge of photon interactions with external fields
  • Familiarity with atomic nuclei and their role in particle physics
  • Basic concepts of energy conservation in particle creation
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the role of external fields in quantum electrodynamics
  • Study the conditions required for pair production in particle physics
  • Explore the interactions between photons and atomic nuclei
  • Learn about energy thresholds for particle creation processes
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Physicists, students of quantum mechanics, and anyone interested in the principles of particle physics and energy interactions.

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Is there a short answer why pair production can not happen in empty space, but that photons must interact with an external field?

thanks and a nice weekend

oh, just saw someone asked the same question in the nuclei section today and answers already there
 
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Listen, Go and look for "pair creation" in "Nuclei and particles". The answer is given there.
 


No problem, happy to help!
As for your question about pair production in empty space, the short answer is that pair production requires a certain amount of energy to create the pair of particles. In empty space, there is no external field to provide this energy, so pair production cannot occur. Photons need to interact with an external field, such as an atomic nucleus or an electron, in order to have enough energy to create a pair of particles. Without this interaction, the energy of the photon is not enough to create a pair and the process cannot occur.
 

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