Which interaction methods are associated with gamma rays and matter?

The interaction of gamma rays with matter can occur through several key processes, among which the photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, and pair production are significant.

The photoelectric effect describes how gamma rays can transfer all their energy to an electron in an atom, effectively ejecting that electron and resulting in absorption of the gamma ray's energy. This mechanism is most prevalent at lower gamma ray energies and in materials with high atomic numbers.

Compton scattering refers to the interaction between gamma rays and matter in which a gamma photon collides with a loosely bound or free electron. The gamma photon is deflected with reduced energy, causing the electron to be ejected from the atom. This mechanism is predominant in intermediate energy ranges of gamma rays.

Pair production involves the conversion of the gamma ray's energy into a particle-antiparticle pair (usually an electron and a positron) in the vicinity of a nucleus, which requires the gamma ray to possess energy above 1.022 MeV, the combined rest mass energy of the electron-positron pair. This interaction dominates at higher gamma ray energies and also illustrates how gamma rays can effectively transform their energy into matter.

The combination of these three interactions—the photoelectric effect, Compton effect, and pair production