What is the difference between the virtual electron and virtual positron created spontaneously in the vacuum and the electron-positron pair created from a high-energy gamma ray?
A)They are exactly the same.
B)The particles created by the gamma ray are real. They can last forever if they do not annihilate. The virtual particles must recombine to become part of the vacuum within a very short time. Only under very special circumstances can they become real.
C)The particles created from the vacuum are real. They can last forever if they do not annihilate. The particles created from the gamma ray must recombine within a very short time. Only under very special circumstances can they become real.
D)The virtual particles have positive and negative mass, whereas the particles created by the gamma ray have positive mass.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The virtual electron and virtual positron created spontaneously in the vacuum are not real particles and must recombine to become part of the vacuum within a very short time. On the other hand, the electron-positron pair created from a high-energy gamma ray are real particles that can last forever if they do not annihilate. Only under very special circumstances can virtual particles become real through the process of pair production, which requires a significant amount of energy input.

What Is the Difference Between the Virtual Electron and Virtual