What is pair production in physics?
Q: What is pair production in physics?
A: Pair production refers to the interaction between a photon and the nucleus of an atom, resulting in the production of a pair of positively and negatively charged electrons.
Q: Where does pair production occur in an atom?
A: Pair production occurs in the nucleus of an atom, rather than with the electron like in lower level x-ray interactions.
Q: What happens to the photon in pair production?
A: In pair production, the photon gives its energy to the nucleus and creates the pair of electrons.
Q: How are the electrons produced in pair production charged?
A: The electrons produced in pair production consist of one positively charged electron (positron) and one negatively charged electron.
Q: What is the probability of pair production affected by?
A: The probability of pair production is proportional to the energy of the incoming photon and is affected by the atomic number of the material.
Q: At what energy levels does pair production usually occur?
A: Pair production typically occurs at energy levels over 25 MeV.
Q: When might pair production occur in radiation therapy?
A: Pair production may occur in radiation therapy treatments that use high-energy photon beams.
