Background
Annihilation
Annihilation is assumed to be a “complete obliteration of an object”. When an electron and a positron (the electron’s antimatter counterpart) collide, they annihilate and disappear, giving off two gamma rays in the process. The particles appear to have vanished and all energy is transferred to the gamma rays (photons).
Pair Production
Pair production is the opposite of annihilation. Mysteriously, particles can appear from nowhere. Matter is created from an energetic photon (gamma ray). In the pair production process, a photon is absorbed and a particle and its anti-particle appear, such as an electron and a positron pair. Energy is conserved, keeping with the laws of physics, as the photon must be equal to or greater than the sum of the two particle energies. However, it is incredibly strange that two particles randomly appear. This only happens in the quantum world. Two objects in the visible world that we see would never disappear and appear randomly.
Explanation
If particles are formed from constructive waves, then annihilation is destructive wave interference. A particle (matter) is on one node of a standing wave. Its anti-particle (antimatter) is on the second node of a standing wave, which is 180 degrees out of phase with the particle. There are only two possible nodes for each wavelength on a standing wave. At this position, any particle interacting with its anti-particle would result in destructive waves.
Annihilation is the point where two particles converge such that there is complete wave amplitude cancellation. The particles have completely minimized their amplitude (A=0). They cannot be detected with electromagnetic instruments, thus we believe these particles have disappeared. Their wave centers are still there, combined, but their reflected waves are destructive and therefore neither particle has standing waves (mass).
Annihilation
The process for annihilation is described in detail below. The transfer of energy from longitudinal, standing wave energy (particles) was calculated to be perfectly conserved when it becomes two transverse waves of energy (photons) using the Transverse Energy Equation.
Pair Production
The process for pair production is described in detail below. The transfer of energy from transverse energy (photon) back to longitudinal, standing wave energy (particles) was calculated using the Transverse Energy Equation. Before coming to rest, both particles were oscillating at a high frequency. Vibrating particles create a secondary, transverse wave. The frequency of this oscillation is in the gamma ray range, which is why we see two gamma rays coming from the collision – one for each oscillating particle.
Video – What is Annihilation?
The What is Annihilation video below describes the annihilation and pair production processes and their cause.