A Level Physics Practice Exam 2026 – The All-in-One Guide to Mastering Your Physics Exam!

A proton can be annihilated when it collides with an antiproton. This annihilation process occurs because protons and antiprotons are matter and antimatter counterparts, respectively. When they meet, they can completely annihilate each other, resulting in the release of energy, typically in the form of gamma rays.

Collisions with other particles, such as electrons or photons, do not lead to annihilation in the same way. For instance, while a proton and an electron may interact, they do not annihilate each other; rather, they can form a hydrogen atom or engage in scattering processes. Neutrinos, while they are fundamental particles that do not carry electric charge, interact only very weakly with other matter and do not cause annihilation with protons.