Does a positron in Beta+ decay interact with electrons outside the nucleus?

[Jabberwockk]

Hi guys,
Well I read about Anti Matter, and i came across the term Anti particle and how a positron is the antiparticle of an electron, so when a particle and an antiparticle meet they're supposed to annihilate each other.
So in case of a Beta+ decay where a proton is converted into a positron in the nuclei, does the postiron enter in contact with the electrons once it's out of the nuclei?
I hope it's not too ambiguous and I'm looking forward to an answer.

 

[mfb]

so when a particle and an antiparticle meet they're supposed to annihilate each other.

This is one option that can happen.

So in case of a Beta+ decay where a proton is converted into a positron in the nuclei, does the postiron enter in contact with the electrons once it's out of the nuclei?

Usually it flies away, loses some energy by "colliding" with electrons and nuclei in the surrounding matter, and only when it lost most of its energy it annihilates with an electron somewhere. Positron emission tomography uses the produced radiation for imaging.

 

[Matternot]

I can't think of a valid reason as to why an emitted positron annihilating with a ground state electron isn't physically indistinguishable from electron capture?

 

[Jabberwockk]

This is one option that can happen.

Is the other option elastic scattering?

I can't think of a valid reason as to why an emitted positron annihilating with a ground state electron isn't physically indistinguishable from electron capture?

That's beyond what I know xD

 

[mfb]

I can't think of a valid reason as to why an emitted positron annihilating with a ground state electron isn't physically indistinguishable from electron capture?

It's probably a matter of definition, you could study the photon emission (1 or more? energies?) to split it in categories.

Is the other option elastic scattering?

And inelastic scattering, if the energy is sufficient.