PHYSICS

Module 5: MODERN
Lecture 25: Compton Effect

Objectivess
In this course you will learn the following

Scattering of radiation from an electron (Compton effect).

Compton effect provides a direct confirmation of particle nature of radiation.

.Why photoelectric effect cannot be exhited by a free electron.

Compton Effect
Photoelectric effect provides evidence that energy is
quantized. In order to establish the particle nature or
radiation, it is necessary that photons must carry momentum. In
1922, Arthur Compton studied the
Scattering of x-rays of known frequency from graphite and looked at the recoil electrons and the scattered
x-rays.
According to wave theory, when an electromagnetic wave of frequeney v is incident on an atom, it would

cause electrons to oscilate. The electrons would absorb energy from the wave and re-radiate
electromagnetic wave of a frequency v, < h. The frequency of scattered radiation would depend on the

amount of energy absorbed from the wave, i.e. on the intensity of incident radiation and the duration of
the exposure of electrons to the radiation and not on the frequency of the incident radiation.
Compton found that the wavelength of the scattered radiation does not depend on the intensity of incident
radiation but it depends on the angle of scattering and the wavelength of the incident beam. The
wavelength of the radiation scattered at an angle & is given by
h
AAa+ 1ngC cos)
.where mg is the rest mass of the electron. The constant h/mpe is known as the Compton

wavelength of the electron and it has a value 0.0024 nm.

The spectrum ofradiation at an angle consists of two peaks, one at Ag and the other at . Compton
effect can be explained by assuming that the incoming radiation is a beam of particles with

I()
 '

Encrgy = hv

Momentum p =
hvo/c
In
arriving at the last
relationship,
relativity, according to which, we use the energy momentum relation of the special theory of

E =mc +p°e
Where m is the rest
mass of a
particle. Since photons are massless ( n = U),
Compton' s observation
electrons in an is consistent with what
we get b= pcC.
elastic collision. we
expect if photons, considered
Derivation of Compton's as
particles, collide wit
Formula
Consider a photon
of energy h and momentum pi=
rest. Let the
direction of
hvo/c colliding elastically with an electron at
direction making
incoming photon be along
the x-axis. After
an
angle & with the x-axis
while the scattered scattering, thephoton moves along a
electron moves
the
magnitude of the making an angle . Let
momentum of the scattered electron be
Pe while that of the
scattered photon
Pf be

y-axis

scattered electron
incident photon

x-axis

scattered photon

See the animation

Conservation of Momentum
x-direction

Pi Pfcos +pe cos Ù(1)

y-direction:

0=-P/ sin8 + pe sn d (2)

 and (2), we get
Egns. (1)

cos 0)*+p sin?

r o m

P= Pcos* p + sin* o) =
(pi -

P/

= P+P-2p:P; cos6 3)

(relativistic effect)
anservation of Energy:
energy is mgC" and the final energy is
of the electron is taken to be ng, the initial
r e s t mass
ft

+ P c . Thus

hvo + moc = hv + /mgc' +pzc (4)

From Eqn. (4), we get, on squaring,

mge +p:¢ = (hvo- kv + mac)*

= (hv-hu) +m^e' +2moc"(hvp- hv)

Thus,
pe = (hvo - hv)*+2mge (hvo - hv)

On substituting expression (3) for Pe in the above equation, we get

pie+pje -2p:Pycos0c = (ho- hu)* +2me (hup - hu)

Recaling P; = hvp/c and Pf = hv/c and on simplification, we get

hvvo(l- aos6) = moc(vo- v)

Using, e/v, we get Compton's formula

A,-Ao (1-cos6)
1mgC

h/mpc A is known as the Compton Wavelength of an electron.

 1(A
A 0-0

1(A) 45

=90

1 (A -135°

Exercise1

Show that the angle by which the electron is scattered is related to the
photon by scattering angle & of the

cot
tan

Exercise 2

Is Compton effect easier to

observe with I.R.,
the scattered electron moves in the same Visible, UV or
direction as that ofX-rays
? In a
Compton scattering experiment
the photon scatter ? the incident
photon. In which direction does

(Answer X-rays, 180°.)

Exercise 3

A 200 MeV photon strikes a

stationary proton (rest mass 931 Mev) and is back scattered. Find the kinetic
energy of the proton after the scattering.

(Ans. 60 MeV)
 or the unshifted
peak in the spectrum
geas hatan strikes an atom (say carbon atom in a graphite crystal), it may scatter from a looselv
When cron, which is essentially free. In thiS case there is à measurable shift in the wavelength of the
is also likely that the photon scatters from an electron that is
bound

ered photon. It tightly bound to an

SCam.In such a case, the mass appearing in Compton's formula must be replaced by the mass of the
arbon atom itself, which IS approximately 20,000 times heavier than an electron. The maximum
wavelength shift of the photon for scattering from a free electron is twice the Compton wavelength of an

electron, i.e. 4.8 X 10 nm. In case of scattering from the carbon atom, the maximum wavelength

shiíft is approximately 2 X 1U nm, which is very smal. Thus we find an intensity maximum at an

wavelength which is essentially equal to that of the incident wavelength.

A free electron cannot absorb a photon and increase its energy as doing so would violate energy-
momentum conservation.

Consider a free electron at rest which absorbs a photon of energy hv (and momentum hv/c). The final

energy of the electron would be hv + mgC*. According to relativistic principle, if the momentum of the

electron is p, the total energy is given by p - c + 1 g c * . When the electron absorbs the incident

photon, the momentum of the photon would be transferred to the electron. Since
the electron was initially
at rest (i.e. with zero momentum), its final momentum is p= hv/c. Thus we have

pc+mc = yp?c2 +mici

which simplifies to 21nopc =

0, which is not possible.
The reason why an electron bound to an atom can absorb a photon ( as in Compton effect) is that the
electron can share some of the resulting momentum with the ion which has a much larger mass
Example 11
A photon of wavelength 6000 nm collides with an electron at rest. After scattering, the wavelength of the
scattered photon is found to change by exactly one Compton wavelength. Calculate (i) the angle by which
the photon is scattered, (ii) the angle by which the electron is Scattered and
of the electron due to scattering.
(iti) the change in the energy

Solution

Since the change in wavelength is one Compton wavelength, (1 - cos6) = 1, i.e. 0 = 90°. Thus

the photon is scattered at right angles to the incident direction.

.Initial momentum of the photon is

h6.63 x 10-34
1.105 1.105 x 107 kgm/s alongi
C 6x 10-12

The final momentum of the photon is

h _ 6.63 x 10-34
O- 7.9 x 10 kgm/s alongj
8.4x 10-12
Thus the final momentum of the electron is 1.105 x 1 0 a 2 - 7.9 x 1040j. The angle that the
 o = tan-(-7.9/11.05) = 35.6°.
final direction of electron makes with the x-axis is

P
The change in the energy of the electron is negative of the
change in the energy of the photon wnicn is

(he/Ap- hc/^) =
9.47x 10-15 J= 59.2
kev.
Exercise 4

Aphoton of
wavelength 6000 nm scatters
from an electron at rest. The electron recoils with
60 kev. Calculate the energy of the an of
scattered photon and the angle through it is scattered. energy

(Ans. 147 kev, 91.3°)

Example 12
A photon of frequency V scatters from an electron at rest and moves in a direction making an angle of 60
with the incident direction. If
the frequency of scattered
the frequency of the incident photon is half that of incident
photon, calculate
photon.
Solution
Since frequency is halved, wavelength is doubled.
Thus change in wavelength -Ap is equal to Ag
Using Compton's formula

Ap 2.4 x
10"(1- cos 60°) =1.2 x 1012 m

The corresponding frequency is V =

c/ = 2.5 X I0-° Hz., which is a gamma ray photon.
Exercise 5
A photon scatters from a proton,
initially at rest. After the collision, the proton is found to scatter
at an
angle of 30 with the original direction of the incident photon with a kinetic
the initial energy of the photon and
(ii) the angle through it is scattered
energy of 100 Mev. Find (i)

Hints: The rest mass of proton is 938 MeV. Total energy

of a relativistic particle is p-c2 + n c
Use these to determine momentum of the scattered proton. Use momentum and
energy conservation.
Answer (i) 329 Mev (i) 104°.1

Exercise 6

Find the smallest energy that a photon can have in order to be able to transfer half of its energy to an
electron at rest (rest mass of an electron is 0.5 Mev)

(Ans. 0.256 Mev)

Exercise 7

A photon has the same wavelength as the Compton wavelength of an electron. What is the energy of the

photon in eV ?
Ans. 0.51 Mev) MeV)

Recap

will earn the following

lecture you
In this

in which x-rays collide with electrons and are scattered.

Compton
effect is a process

wavelength
the of the scattered radiation does not depend
the prediction of classical wave theory,
on the scattering angle and the wavelength of the incident beam.
he intensity of radiation but depends
the

radiation to be of particulate nature.

can be explained by considering
. Compton effect

is best exhibited with short wavelength radiation like x-rays.

Compton effect

because it is not possible to simultaneously satisfy energy-

A free electron cannot absorb a photon
momentum conservation.