High Energy Electron Greetings: Creation of Extra Particles?

In summary, when a high energy electron hits a target material, four particles are created: three electrons, a positron, and a cation. The extra particles are not created out of nothing, but rather through the energy of the incoming electron and through conservation of charge and other quantities.
  • #1
3
0
greetings..

i have 1 question:
When a very high energy electron hits a target material, four particles emerge from the target, that is three electrons and a positron, instead of just two electrons, the incident and ejected electrons. It seems that the two extra particles are created out of nothing. Do you agree with this statement?
 
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  • #2
Mizies said:
greetings..
When a very high energy electron hits a target material, four particles emerge from the target, that is three electrons and a positron, instead of just two electrons, the incident and ejected electrons. It seems that the two extra particles are created out of nothing. Do you agree with this statement?

No. They are created, via Einstein's famous ##E=mc^2##, from the energy of the incoming electron.
 
  • #3
Mizies said:
i have 1 question:
When a very high energy electron hits a target material, four particles emerge from the target, that is three electrons and a positron, instead of just two electrons, the incident and ejected electrons. It seems that the two extra particles are created out of nothing. Do you agree with this statement?
I would say 5 particles emerge. 3 electrons, a positron, and a cation. The cation is important because it is required for conservation of charge. The net charge before the collision is -1 and the net charge afterwards is also -1. All other quantities are also conserved.
 
  • #4
Mizies said:
It seems that the two extra particles are created out of nothing. Do you agree with this statement?

The description of what happens is correct. "Created out of nothing" is just a set of words. I do not think there is any additional meaning here, just opportunities for confusion.
 

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