Skip to main content

Astronomy (thesaurus)

Search from vocabulary

Concept information

Preferred term

positron  

Definition

  • The positron is the positively charged antiparticle of the electron. A positron has the same mass (9.109 × 10–31 kg) and spin (½) as the electron, but opposite charge and magnetic moment. When a positron and electron meet they destroy one another instantly, in a process called annihilation and produce a pair of high-energy gamma rays. The existence of the positron was first predicted by Paul Dirac in 1930 as a result of his work on the application of the special theory of relativity to quantum mechanics. The positron was discovered in 1932 by Carl D. Anderson,1 who also gave it its name. (Encyclopedia of Science, by David Darling, https://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/P/positron.html)

Broader concept

In other languages

URI

http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/MDL-LRPS67XL-5

Download this concept: