IPhO 1983 Theoretical Question IV

4. Atomics - Problem IV (7 points)

Compton scattering

A photon of wavelength  is scattered by a moving, free electron. As a result the electron stops
i

and the resulting photon of wavelength  scattered at an angle   60 with respect to the
0

direction of the incident photon, is again scattered by a second free electron at rest. In this
second scattering process a photon with wavelength of   1,25  10 m emerges at an
10
f

angle   60 with respect to the direction of the photon of wavelength  . Find the de Broglie
0

wavelength for the first electron before the interaction. The following constants are known:
h  6,6  10 J  s - Planck’s constant
34

m  9,1  10 kg - mass oh the electron

31

c  3,0  10 m / s - speed of light in vacuum

8

Problem III - Solution

The purpose of the problem is to calculate the values of the speed, momentum and wavelength
of the first electron.

To characterize the photons the following notation are used:

Table Atomics - Problem IV (7 points).1
initial photon – final
photo after the photon
n first scattering To characterize the electrons one uses
  
momentum p i p 0 pf Table Atomics - Problem IV (7 points).2
energy Ei E0 Ef
first electron first electron second electron Second electron
wavelength i i f
before collision after collision before collision after collision
 
momentum p1e 0 0 p2e
energy E 1e E 0e E 0e E 2e
 
speed v 1e 0 0 v 2e

The image in figure 4.1 presents the situation before the first scattering of photon.

Atomics – Problem IV - Solution

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IPhO 1983 Theoretical Question IV

Figure Atomics - Problem IV (7 points).1 Figure

Atomics - Problem IV (7 points).2

Figure Atomics - Problem IV (7 points).3

Figure Atomics - Problem IV (7 points).4

To characterize the initial photon we will use his momentum p i and his energy E i

  h h  fi
Pi  
 i c ( Atomics - Problem IV
E  h  f
i i
(7 points).0)
c
fi  (
i
Atomics - Problem IV (7 points).0)
is the frequency of initial photon. 
For initial, free electron in motion the momentum p oe and the energy E oe are

Atomics – Problem IV - Solution

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IPhO 1983 Theoretical Question IV


  m 0  v 1e
P
 oe  m  v 1e 
 1  2
 ( Atomics -
E  m  c 2  m0  c 2
 oe 1  2

Problem IV (7 points).0)
where m 0 is the rest mass of electron and m is the mass of moving electron. As usual,
v
  1e . De Broglie wavelength of the first electron is
c

h h
oe   1  2
p0e m 0  v 1e
The situation after the scattering of photon is described in the figure
 4.2.
To characterize the scattered photon we will use his momentum p 0 and his energy E 0

  h h  fo
Po  
 o c ( Atomics -
E  h  f
o o
Problem IV (7 points).0).
where
c
fo  ( Atomics -
0
Problem IV (7 points).0)
is the frequency of scattered photon.

The magnitude of momentum of the electron ( that remains in rest) after the scattering is zero;
his energy is E 1e . The mass of electron after collision is m 0 - the rest mass of electron at rest.
So,
E 1e  m 0  c 2
To determine the moment of the first moving electron, one can write the principles of
conservation of moments and energy. That is
  
Pi  p oe  p 0 ( Atomics -
Problem IV (7 points).0)
and
E i  E 0e  E 0  E 1e ( Atomics -
Problem IV (7 points).0)
The conservation of moment on Ox direction is written as

Atomics – Problem IV - Solution

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IPhO 1983 Theoretical Question IV

h  fi h  f0
 m  v 1e  cos   cos ( Atomics -
c c
Problem IV (7 points).0)
and the conservation of moment on Oy is
h  f0
m  v 1e  sin  sin ( Atomics -
c
Problem IV (7 points).0)
To eliminate  , the last two equation must be written again as

 2 h 
2
 m  v1e  cos   2  f0  cos  fi  2
 c
 2 ( Atomics - Problem IV
h 
 m  v  sin  2   0 sin 
f
 1e c 
(7 points).0)
and then added.
The result is

h2  2 2
m  v  2  f0  f1  2f0  f i  cos 
2 2
1e
( Atomics -
c
Problem IV (7 points).0)
or
m 02  c 2
2

 v 12e  h 2  f 02  f12  2f 0  f i  cos 
v  ( Atomics -
1   1e 
 c 
Problem IV (7 points).0)
The conservation of energy (4.7) can be written again as
m  c 2  h  f1  m 0  c 2  h  f 0 ( Atomics -
Problem IV (7 points).0)
or
m0  c 2
 m 0  c 2  h   f 0  f1 
2
v  ( Atomics -
1   1e 
 c 
Problem IV (7 points).0)
Squaring the last relation results

Atomics – Problem IV - Solution

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IPhO 1983 Theoretical Question IV

m 02  c 4
 m 02  c 4  h 2   f 0  f1   m 0  h  c 2   f 0  f1 
2
2
v  ( Atomics -
1   1e 
 c 
Problem IV (7 points).0)
Subtracting (4.12) from (4.15) the result is
2m 0  c 2  h   f 0  f1   2h 2  f1  f 0  cos  2h 2  f1  f  0 ( Atomics -
Problem IV (7 points).0)
or
h
1  cos   c 
c
( Atomics -
m0  c f1 f0
Problem IV (7 points).0)
Using
h
 ( Atomics -
m0  c
Problem IV (7 points).0)
the relation (4.17) becomes
   1  cos   i  0 ( Atomics -
Problem IV (7 points).0)
The wavelength of scattered photon is
0  i     1  cos  ( Atomics -
Problem IV (7 points).0)
shorter than the wavelength of initial photon and consequently the energy of scattered photon is
greater that the energy of initial photon.

i  0
 ( Atomics -
E i  E 0
Problem IV (7 points).0)
Let’s analyze now the second collision process that occurs in point N . To study that, let’s
consider a new referential having Ox direction on the direction of the photon scattered after
the first collision.

The figure 4.3 presents the situation before the second collision and the figure 4.4 presents the
situation after this scattering process. The conservation principle for moment in the scattering
process gives

Atomics – Problem IV - Solution

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IPhO 1983 Theoretical Question IV

h h
    cos  m  v 2e  cos 
 0 f
 ( Atomics - Problem IV
 h sin  m  v  sin   0
 f 2e

(7 points).0)
To eliminate the unknown angle  must square and then add the equations (4.22)
That is

 h h 
2

  cos    m  v 2e  cos   2

 0 f 
 2
( Atomics -
 h 
 sin    m  v 2e  sin  
2

 f 
Problem IV (7 points).0)
or
2 2
 h   h  2h2
     cos   m  v 2e 
2
 ( Atomics - Problem IV
 f   0  0  f
(7 points).0)
The conservation principle of energy in the second scattering process gives
h c h c
 m0  c 2   m c2 ( Atomics -
0 f
Problem IV (7 points).0)
(4.24) and (4.25) gives
h2 c2 h2 c2 2h2 c2
 2  cos  m 2  c 2  v 22e ( Atomics -
f2
0 0  f
Problem IV (7 points).0)
and
2
 1 1   1 1 
h 2  c 2      m 02  c 4  2h  c 3  m 0      m 2  c 4 ( Atomics -
 f 0   f 0 
Problem IV (7 points).0)
Subtracting (4.26) from (1.27), one obtain

 h
  1  cos   f  0
 m 0 c ( Atomics -
      1  cos 
f 0
Problem IV (7 points).0)

Atomics – Problem IV - Solution

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IPhO 1983 Theoretical Question IV

That is

f  0
 ( Atomics -
Ef  E0
Problem IV (7 points).0)
Because the value of f is know and  can be calculate as

f  1,25  1010 m


 6,6  1034 ( Atomics -
  31
m  2,41 1012 m  0,02  1010 m
 9,1 10  3  10
8

Problem IV (7 points).0)
the value of wavelength of photon before the second scattering is
0  1,23  10 10 m ( Atomics -
Problem IV (7 points).0)
Comparing (4.28) written as:
f  0     1  cos  ( Atomics -
Problem IV (7 points).0)
and (4.20) written as
i  0     1  cos  ( Atomics -
Problem IV (7 points).0)
clearly results
i  f (
Atomics - Problem IV (7 points).0)
The energy of the double scattered photon is the same as the energy of initial photon. The
direction of “final photon” is the same as the direction of “initial” photon. Concluding, the final
photon is identical with the initial photon. The result is expected because of the symmetry of the
processes.
Extending the symmetry analyze on electrons, the first moving electron that collides the initial
photon and after that remains at rest, must have the same momentum and energy as the second
electron after the collision – because this second electron is at rest before the collision.
That is
 
p1e  p2e
 ( Atomics -
E1e  E 2e
Problem IV (7 points).0)

Atomics – Problem IV - Solution

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IPhO 1983 Theoretical Question IV

Taking into account (4.24), the moment of final electron is

1 1 2  cos
p2 e  h   ( Atomics -
f  f   1  cos  
2 2
f   f   1  cos  
Problem IV (7 points).0)
The de Broglie wavelength of second electron after scattering (and of first electron before
scattering) is
 1 1 2  cos 
1e  2e  1  2    ( Atomics -
 f     1  cos   f   f   1  cos   
2
 f 
Problem IV (7 points).0)
Numerical value of this wavelength is
1e  2e  1,24  10 10 m ( Atomics -
Problem IV (7 points).0)

Professor Delia DAVIDESCU, National Department of Evaluation and

Examination–Ministry of
Education and Research- Bucharest,
Romania
Professor Adrian S.DAFINEI,PhD, Faculty of Physics – University of
Bucharest, Romania

Atomics – Problem IV - Solution

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