When an electron and a positron meet and annihilate, the mass-energy of the particles is carried away by
A)a gamma ray.
B)two gamma rays, otherwise momentum wouldn't be conserved.
C)nothing at all, gone.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When an electron and a positron annihilate, they produce two gamma rays. This is necessary to conserve both energy and momentum. A single gamma ray would not suffice for momentum conservation, given the initial momentum of the system.

When an Electron and a Positron Meet and Annihilate, the Mass-Energy