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Nuclear & Particle Physics FAQ

Pair annihilation of an electron and positron produces:

Two 511 keV gamma-ray photons (back-to-back). e⁻ + e⁺ → 2γ; each photon has energy mec² = 511 keV, emitted back-to-back to conserve momentum.

Short Answer

Two 511 keV gamma-ray photons (back-to-back) is the best answer.

Nuclear and particle questions tend to hinge on conservation laws, decay rules, interaction types, or scale. A clean answer usually comes from identifying the process before the details.

e⁻ + e⁺ → 2γ; each photon has energy mec² = 511 keV, emitted back-to-back to conserve momentum.

Why This Answer Is Correct

This is a Medium-level question in Nuclear & Particle Physics. The prompt is really testing whether you can connect the concept to its defining physical relationship instead of picking a nearby-but-wrong term.

Track conserved quantities carefully: energy, momentum, charge, lepton number, baryon number, and spin-like constraints when relevant.

Choices At A Glance

  • A. A neutron
  • B. Two 511 keV gamma-ray photons (back-to-back)
  • C. One photon and a neutrino
  • D. Alpha particle

When similar options appear on an exam, eliminate the ones that break the core law, use the wrong units, or confuse a definition with a consequence.

Topic Snapshot

Topic: Nuclear & Particle Physics

Difficulty: Medium

Best next move: Re-state the governing law in your own words, then solve one more example from the same topic before moving on.