Step 1: Concept of pair production
Pair production is a phenomenon in which a high-energy photon transforms into a particle–antiparticle pair in the presence of a strong electric field, usually that of a nucleus.
Step 2: Energy requirement
For pair production to occur, the photon must have a minimum energy of 1.022 MeV, which is equal to twice the rest mass energy of an electron:
\(1.022\ \text{MeV} = 2 \times 0.511\ \text{MeV}\)
Step 3: Products of the process
The photon converts into an electron (\(e^-\)) and a positron (\(e^+\)) pair. The nucleus is not consumed but is required to conserve momentum.
Final Conclusion:
Thus, pair production involves the creation of an electron–positron pair from a high-energy photon.