Question

in Compton's effect..is the interaction between the photon and the electron elastic or inelastic???

Answer 1

what do you think?

Answer 2

i wouldn't be asking if i knew but anyway....isn't the velocity, wavelength and frequency change??? so it should be inelastic????

Answer 3

it is elastic one!!! bcoz some energy is utilized int he motion of electron !!!!

Answer 4

change in velocity, wavelength and frequency doesn't imply that it is inelastic.
It is elastic collision.

Answer 5

but if velocity is changed then momentum is changed...is the elasticity depends on loss in mass before and after collision???

Answer 6

i'm sorry but could you demonstrate more

Answer 7

Compton scattering is a type of scattering that X-rays and gamma rays (both photons with different energy ranges) undergo in matter. The elastic scattering of photons in matter results in a decrease in energy (increase in wavelength) of an X-ray or gamma ray photon, called the Compton effect. Part of the energy of the X/gamma ray is transferred to a scattering electron, which recoils and is ejected from its atom (which becomes ionized), and the rest of the energy is taken by the scattered, "degraded" photon. Inverse Compton scattering also exists, in which a charged particle transfers part of its energy to a photon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compton_scattering

Answer 8

change in wavelength determinately tell loss of energy !!! hence it should be elastic !!!boz there is loss of energy !!!interns of kinetic energy in different direction!!!!
elastic scattering mean the kinetic energy of the incident particles is conserved in the Center-Of-Mass frame, only their direction of propagation is modified

Answer 9

Compton scattering is an elastic collision between a photon and an electron. Energy and momentum of the particles are conserved before and after the collision.

Answer 10

yaaa ur right ujjwal

Answer 11

thank you both..appreciate it