A photon cannot create an electron pair unless its frequency is A) less than 1.24 × 10²⁰ Hz. B) greater than 1.24 × 10²⁰ Hz. C) greater than 2.47 × 10²⁰ Hz. D) less than 2.47 × 10²⁰ Hz. E) infinite.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The energy of a photon must be greater than the combined rest mass energy of the electron and positron pair for pair production to occur. The frequency threshold for this process corresponds to an energy of 1.022 MeV, which is equivalent to a frequency greater than 1.24 × 10^20 Hz.

A Photon Cannot Create an Electron Pair Unless Its Frequency