Create Electron from Proton Annihilation?

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In summary: As for what happens when an antiproton decays into an electron and a gamma ray, that is a well-supported hypothesis, but the experiment doesn't actually cover that; it's just that this is consistent with the data they have.In summary, the APEX collaboration at Fermilab has suggested that antiprotons can potentially turn into an electron and gamma ray, with a lower limit of 300,000 years for the antiproton's lifetime. However, this is still a hypothesis and has not been directly observed in the experiment.
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jaketodd
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Search for the text "APEX collaboration at Fermilab" on the following page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiproton

It seems to indicate after that text that an antiproton can turn into an electron and gamma ray. However, before that it says "300,000 yr." So is it saying that it will take that long for that to happen? Is there a faster way to create a "new" electron?

Hmm, it says "...antiproton-proton annihilation into electron-positron pair..." on the following page:
http://thesis.library.caltech.edu/3577/

Is that true; can you create a new electron from the annihilation of a proton?

Thanks,

Jake
 
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What's wrong with the standard old, true-and-tested pair production?

Zz.
 
  • #3
ZapperZ said:
What's wrong with the standard old, true-and-tested pair production?

Zz.

Are you referring to proton-antiproton annihilation to produce a "new" electron?

Thanks,

Jake
 
  • #4
jaketodd said:
Are you referring to proton-antiproton annihilation to produce a "new" electron?

Thanks,

Jake

Pair production - production of electron-positron pairs out of gamma rays.

Zz.
 
  • #5
jaketodd said:
Search for the text "APEX collaboration at Fermilab" on the following page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiproton

It seems to indicate after that text that an antiproton can turn into an electron and gamma ray. However, before that it says "300,000 yr." So is it saying that it will take that long for that to happen?

In the context of the preceding paragraph, I'm pretty sure that this is a lower limit on the antiproton lifetime. That is, the experiment didn't actually see any antiprotons decay; but based on the number of antiprotons involved and the time duration of the experiment, if the antiproton has a lifetime greater than 300,000 yr they wouldn't have been able to detect any antiprotons decaying anyway.
 

1. How is an electron created from proton annihilation?

The process of creating an electron from proton annihilation involves the collision of a proton and an antiproton in a high-energy environment. When these two particles collide, they annihilate each other, releasing energy in the form of photons. Some of these photons can then convert into an electron and a positron, which are both particles with opposite charges.

2. What happens to the remaining energy after proton annihilation?

After proton annihilation, the remaining energy is released in the form of photons. These photons can either convert into particles or continue to travel as particles of light.

3. Can electron creation from proton annihilation occur in nature?

No, electron creation from proton annihilation does not occur in nature. This process can only happen in a controlled environment with high-energy collisions, such as in particle accelerators.

4. What is the significance of creating an electron from proton annihilation?

The creation of an electron from proton annihilation is significant because it allows scientists to study the behavior and properties of electrons in a controlled environment. This process also helps us understand the fundamental building blocks of matter and the nature of antimatter.

5. Are there any potential applications for electron creation from proton annihilation?

Currently, there are no known practical applications for creating an electron from proton annihilation. However, understanding this process could potentially lead to advancements in energy production and medical imaging technologies.

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