Pair Production and Annihilation

This page explains two important processes in particle physics: pair production and annihilation.

Pair Production:

• A high-energy photon can create an electron-positron pair or a proton-antiproton pair.
• The photon's energy must be at least equal to the rest energy of the two particles.

Example: A photon with energy hf creates an electron-positron pair, each with rest energy E.

Annihilation:

• When a particle meets its antiparticle, they can annihilate, converting their mass into energy.
• This energy is typically released as photons.

Highlight: Pair production and annihilation demonstrate the interchangeability of mass and energy, a key concept in AQA A level Physics particles and Radiation.

These processes illustrate the conservation of energy and the relationship between mass and energy in particle interactions. Understanding these concepts is crucial for answering particle physics A Level questions.

Conservation Laws in Particle Decay

This page introduces a method for determining whether a particle decay process is possible based on conservation laws.

Key conservation numbers to check:

1. Electric charge
2. Baryon number
3. Lepton numbers (electron and muon)
4. Strangeness (for strong interactions)

Highlight: All conservation numbers must be equal on both sides of a decay equation for the process to be possible.

The page presents a decision-making process:

1. Check if all basic conservation numbers (charge, baryon number, lepton numbers) are conserved.
2. If yes, then check strangeness conservation and the presence of neutrinos:
   • If strangeness is conserved and no neutrinos are involved, it's a strong interaction.
   • Otherwise, it's a weak interaction.
3. If any conservation law is violated, the decay cannot happen.

Example: This process is crucial for analyzing beta decay and particle interactions aqa physics questions.

Understanding these conservation laws is essential for AQA A level Physics particles and Radiation exam questions and for interpreting Feynman diagrams a Level physics.

Gauge Bosons and Feynman Diagrams

This page introduces gauge bosons, the force-carrying particles, and Feynman diagrams, which are visual representations of particle interactions.

Gauge Bosons:

1. Photon: Mediates electromagnetic force
2. Gluon: Mediates strong nuclear force
3. W and Z bosons: Mediate weak nuclear force

Definition: Gauge bosons are virtual particles that mediate fundamental forces between particles.

Feynman Diagrams:

• Graphical representations of particle interactions
• Time flows from left to right
• Particles are represented by lines
• Interactions are represented by vertices

Highlight: Feynman diagrams are essential tools for understanding and calculating particle interactions in AQA A level Physics particles and Radiation.

The page also briefly mentions the electromagnetic repulsion between electrons as an example of a force mediated by virtual photons.

Understanding gauge bosons and Feynman diagrams is crucial for interpreting all Feynman diagrams a Level physics and answering questions on particle interactions aqa physics.