In pair production, the emergence of positrons and electrons from a photon striking an atom nucleus, it's calculated that mass-energy equivalence creates the e-e+ from the photon's energy if it's at least 1.022 MeV by applying E=MC^2. I understand the mass of e-e+ and the energy of the photon. But it's not clear to me from what or where C^2 is derived.

 

Where from do we calculate the speed of light squared in the photon's interaction with an atom nucleus?

 

Many thanks in advance for any help.

In pair production, the emergence of positrons and electrons from a photon striking an atom nucleus, it's calculated that mass-energy equivalence creates the e-e+ from the photon's energy if it's at least 1.022 MeV by applying E=MC^2. I understand the mass of e-e+ and the energy of the photon. But it's not clear to me from what or where C^2 is derived.

 

Where from do we calculate the speed of light squared in the photon's interaction with an atom nucleus?

 

Many thanks in advance for any help.

 

c is a constant.

c is a constant.

 

Thanks, ydoaPs.

Edited October 27, 200916 yr by Michael Netzer