Positron
Positron
The Positron is the antiparticle or the antimatter counterpart of the electron. The positron has an electric charge of +1e, a spin of 1/2 (the same as the electron), and has the same mass as an electron. When a low-energy positron collides with a low-energy electron, annihilation occurs, resulting in the production of two or more gamma ray photons.
Discovery[edit | edit source]
The existence of positron was first postulated in 1928 by Paul Dirac as a direct consequence of the Dirac equation. In 1932, positrons were discovered by Carl D. Anderson, who gave the particle its name.
Characteristics[edit | edit source]
Positrons may be generated by positron emission nuclear decay (through weak interactions), or by pair production from a sufficiently energetic photon.
Applications[edit | edit source]
Positrons are used in medicine, specifically in positron emission tomography (PET) scans. These scans use a radioactive isotope that decays to produce positrons. The positrons annihilate to produce gamma rays, which are then detected and used to create an image of the body.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
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