| MadSci Network: Physics |
Excellent question!
The short answer is a resounding YES.
Electrons (and other particles) can be destroyed by a process known as pair annihilation. A positron is the opposite of the electron, it has positive charge and identical rest mass. If a positron and an electron unite, they annihilate each other and release energy in the form of radiant energy, e.g. photons. If the electron and positron were initially at rest, or moving towards each other at the same velocity, two photons are usually produced moving in opposite directions. In some rare cases, three photons may be produced. One photon is not possible because momentum must be conserved. In any case, the total energy released is the sum of the initial rest energy. Electrons and positrons have rest energy of 0.511 million electron-volts (MeV), so the total energy is 1.022 MeV. In the two photon case, each photon will have energy of 0.511 MeV which corresponds to a wavelength of 0.0024 nanometers (nm). This range of wavelengths falls in the regime of X-rays. If the electron and positron have an initial velocity, it will contribute to the total energy and yield photons with higher energies and shorter wavelengths.
The opposite of pair annihilitation, called pair production is also possible. Much of the theory and experimental data relating to this subject may be found in any quantum mechanics text.
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