Discussion Overview
The discussion centers on the differences between photons produced from electron-positron annihilation and "normal" photons that do not decay. Participants explore the nature of these photons within the context of particle interactions and quantum electrodynamics (QED).
Discussion Character
- Technical explanation
- Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- One participant suggests that when an electron meets a positron, they annihilate and produce photons, which may decay into muons.
- Another participant clarifies that electron-positron collisions can produce pairs of photons, muons, or tauons, and mentions the role of virtual weak bosons in these interactions.
- A participant expresses uncertainty about their understanding and acknowledges the complexity of the topic.
- Discussion includes the distinction between virtual and real particles, with one participant explaining that intermediate photons in Feynman diagrams are virtual, while real photons are produced in specific processes.
- It is noted that an electron-positron collision cannot produce a single real photon due to momentum conservation, but can produce two photons through a different interaction channel.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express varying degrees of understanding and interpretation regarding the nature of photons in annihilation processes, with no consensus reached on the specifics of the differences between the types of photons discussed.
Contextual Notes
There are unresolved aspects regarding the definitions of virtual versus real particles and the conditions under which different types of photons are produced in particle interactions.
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^+ .