University Physics with Modern Physics (14th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321973615
ISBN 13: 978-0-32197-361-0

Chapter 44 - Particle Physics and Cosmology - Problems - Exercises - Page 1522: 44.57

Answer

Choice D.

Work Step by Step

Energy and momentum are conserved. The energy of the reactants, because we are told they are very slow, is their rest energy. Each particle has energy $m_ec^2$. When the positron and electron annihilate, the two resulting photons share the total energy equally since they have the same momentum. Therefore each photon has energy $m_ec^2$, choice D.
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