Example 26-2  Compton Scattering

A photon carries 2.00 * 10214 J of energy. It undergoes Compton scattering in a block of carbon. What is the largest frac-
tional change in energy the photon can undergo as a result?

Set Up
Given the initial photon energy Ei = Momentum and energy of a Before:
2.00 * 10214 J, we can calculate its wavelength photon: photon electron at rest
li using Equation 26-7. We use Equation 26-8
to calculate the change in wavelength due to E h
p = =  (26-7)
scattering; this will be maximum if u = 180°, c l After:
so cos u = 21. Once we know the final
wavelength lf, we can use Equation 26-7 again Compton scattering equation:
to find the final photon energy. Comparing scattered photon recoiling electron
this to the initial photon energy tells us the h
l = lf - li = 11 - cos u2
fractional change in energy. mec
 (26-8)

Solve
First calculate the wavelength of the initial From Equation 26-7, the wavelength of the initial photon is
photon using Equation 26-7.
hc 16.63 * 10-34 J # s2 13.00 * 108 m>s2
li = =
Ei 2.00 * 10-14 J
1 nm
= 19.95 * 10-12 m2 a b = 9.95 * 10-3 nm
10-9 m

Calculate the wavelength shift using The maximum wavelength shift is with u = 180° and cos u = 21:
Equation 26-8.
h
lmax = lf - li = 11 - cos 1802
mec
=   (2.43   *   1023 nm)[1   2   (21)]   =   4.86   *   1023 nm

The wavelength of the final photon equals the The final wavelength is
wavelength of the initial photon plus the shift
l. Use this to find the energy of the final lf   =   li   +   l   =   9.95   *   1023 nm   +   4.86   *   1023 nm
photon.   =   1.481   *   1022 nm   =   1.481   *   10211 m

The energy of the final photon is

hc 16.63 * 10-34 J # s2 13.00 * 108 m>s2

Ef = =
lf 1.481 * 10-11 m
=   1.34   *   10214 J

This is less than the energy of the initial photon. The lost energy has
gone into the kinetic energy of the scattered electron.

Express the energy change as a fraction of the The fractional energy change is the energy change Ef 2 Ei divided by
initial photon energy. the initial energy Ei:
Ef - Ei
fractional energy change =
Ei
1.34 * 10-14 J - 2.00 * 10-14 J
=
2.00 * 10-14 J
=   20.328   =   232.8%

Reflect
An initial photon of this high energy and short wavelength can lose as much as 32.8% (nearly one-third) of its initial
energy when it ­undergoes Compton scattering.