Following process is known as `hv rarr e^(+) +e^(-)`

Options

A. Pair production
B. Photoelectric effect
C. Compton effect
D. Zeeman effect

Answer

To solve the question regarding the process represented by the equation \( h\nu \rightarrow e^+ + e^- \), we will break down the steps involved in understanding this phenomenon.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Components**:
- The equation \( h\nu \) represents a photon, where \( h \) is Planck's constant and \( \nu \) is the frequency of the photon.
- The right side of the equation shows \( e^+ \) (positron) and \( e^- \) (electron).

2. **Understanding Particle Creation**:
- The equation signifies that energy from the photon is being converted into a particle (electron) and its antiparticle (positron).
- This is a key aspect of particle physics where energy can be converted into mass, as per Einstein's equation \( E=mc^2 \).

3. **Recognizing the Process**:
- The process of converting energy (photon) into a particle and its antiparticle is known as **pair production**.
- In pair production, a photon with sufficient energy can create an electron-positron pair.

4. **Distinguishing from Other Processes**:
- It is important to differentiate this from other phenomena:
- **Photoelectric Effect**: Involves the ejection of an electron from a material when it absorbs a photon, but does not create an antiparticle.
- **Compton Effect**: Involves the scattering of photons off electrons, resulting in a change in wavelength, but does not create particle-antiparticle pairs.
- **Zeeman Effect**: Involves the splitting of spectral lines in a magnetic field, unrelated to particle creation.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Since the process described by the equation involves the creation of a particle and its antiparticle from a photon, we conclude that this process is known as **pair production**.

### Final Answer:
The process represented by \( h\nu \rightarrow e^+ + e^- \) is known as **pair production**.