Positron
What is Positron?
A positron (β⁺) is the antimatter counterpart of the electron, having the same mass as an electron (9.109 × 10⁻³¹ kg) but carrying a positive charge of +1. It is emitted in positron emission (β⁺ decay), a type of radioactive decay in which a proton in a neutron-deficient nucleus is converted to a neutron: p → n + β⁺ + ν. When a positron encounters an electron, annihilation occurs with the production of two gamma-ray photons, a process used in positron emission tomography (PET) scanning.
Key Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
A positron (β⁺) is the antimatter counterpart of the electron, having the same mass as an electron (9.109 × 10⁻³¹ kg) but carrying a positive charge of +1. It is emitted in positron emission (β⁺ decay), a type of radioactive decay in which a proton in a neutron-deficient nucleus is converted to a neutron: p → n + β⁺ + ν. When a positron encounters an electron, annihilation occurs with the production of two gamma-ray photons, a process used in positron emission tomography (PET) scanning.