The discussion clarifies the differences between photons produced from electron-positron annihilation and normal photons. When an electron meets a positron, they annihilate, producing either a pair of real photons or other particles like muons or tauons, depending on the interaction. The key distinction lies in the nature of virtual particles, such as virtual weak bosons, which facilitate interactions but are not directly observable. The conversation also touches on the concepts of "on-shell" and "off-shell" decay in particle physics, particularly in Quantum Electrodynamics (QED).
PREREQUISITESPhysicists, students of particle physics, and anyone interested in the fundamental interactions of particles, particularly in the context of electron-positron collisions and photon production.
when an electron meets a positron, both the electron and the positron cease to exist, and pure light comes flying out,and then the photon(light) will decay into a \mu^- \mu^+ .