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Thermal Radiation. Quantum Nature of Light.

Problem 5.282

Explain the following features of Compton scattering of light by matter: (a) the increase in wavelength \(\Delta \lambda\) is independent of the nature of the scattering substance; (b) the intensity of the displaced component of scattered light grows with the increasing angle of scattering and with the diminishing atomic number of the substance; (c) the presence of a non-displaced component in the scattered radiation.

Reveal Answer
5.282.(a)Lightisscatteredbythefreeelectrons;(b)theincreaseofthenumberofelectronsthatturnfree(thefreeelectronshavethebindingenergymuchlowerthantheenergytransferredtothembythephotons);(c)thepresenceofanon−displacedcomponentisduetoscatteringbythestronglyboundelectronsandthenuclei.5.282. (a) Light is scattered by the free electrons; (b) the increase of the number of electrons that turn free (the free electrons have the binding energy much lower than the energy transferred to them by the photons); (c) the presence of a non-displaced component is due to scattering by the strongly bound electrons and the nuclei.
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