What phenomenon occurs when a particle and anti-particle collide to create electromagnetic radiation?

The phenomenon that occurs when a particle and its corresponding anti-particle collide to produce electromagnetic radiation is known as pair annihilation. When a particle, such as an electron, encounters its anti-particle, the positron, they can annihilate each other, resulting in the release of energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation, typically in the form of gamma rays. This process exemplifies the principle of conservation of energy and demonstrates how mass can be converted into energy, as described by Einstein's equation (E=mc^2).

In the context of this question, pair annihilation effectively describes the interaction between particle and anti-particle, leading to the production of radiation, which is characteristic of high-energy physics and quantum field interactions. This differentiation from other processes, such as photon emission, Compton scattering, and electron capture, highlights the uniqueness of pair annihilation in the context of particle-antiparticle interactions.