What happens when an electron and a positron collide?

When an electron and a positron collide, they annihilate each other and produce gamma rays.

Electrons and positrons are both subatomic particles with opposite charges. When they come into contact, they can annihilate each other, releasing energy in the form of gamma rays. This process is known as electron-positron annihilation.

The energy released during electron-positron annihilation is equal to the sum of the masses of the two particles multiplied by the speed of light squared (E=mc²). Since electrons and positrons have the same mass, the energy released is always the same.

Gamma rays are high-energy photons that can penetrate through matter and are often used in medical imaging and cancer treatment. In addition to gamma rays, electron-positron annihilation can also produce other subatomic particles, such as muons and pions.

The phenomenon of electron-positron annihilation is important in the study of particle physics, as it can provide information about the properties of subatomic particles. It is also a potential source of energy, as the energy released during annihilation could be harnessed for power generation. However, the practicality of this is still being researched.