Compton scattering
X-ray wavelength shift
Compton scattering is the deflection of a photon when it collides with an electron, causing the photon to lose energy and shift to a longer wavelength.
The effect, which demonstrated that light behaves as particles, was crucial evidence for quantum mechanics.
Named for physicist Arthur Compton, who discovered it in 1923.
Electromagnetic radiation unit
- electronNegative subatomic particle
- wavelengthSpatial repetition interval
- energyPower to do work
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
inelastic · quantum mechanics · energy transfer · cross-section · free electron
Penetrating diagnostic beam
- gamma rayHigh-energy nuclear emission
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- detectorDevice that senses
- absorptionProcess of taking in
attenuation · radiation · electromagnetic · high-energy · ionizing · shielding · dosimetry · backscatter
Creating pictures inside bodies
- PET scanRadiotracer-based internal imaging
- astrophysicsPhysics of celestial bodies
- radiotherapyMedical radiation for cancer
- security scanningInspection for threats
Highest academic honor
- 1923Early twentieth-century date
- experimentSystematic investigation procedure
- quantum theoryDiscrete-energy framework for subatomic phenomena
- particle physicsStudy of subatomic constituents
photon
Electromagnetic radiation unit
- electronNegative subatomic particle
- wavelengthSpatial repetition interval
- energyPower to do work
momentum · inelastic · quantum mechanics · energy transfer · cross-section · free electron
X-ray
Penetrating diagnostic beam
- gamma rayHigh-energy nuclear emission
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- detectorDevice that senses
absorption · attenuation · radiation · electromagnetic · high-energy · ionizing · shielding · dosimetry · backscatter
medical imaging
Creating pictures inside bodies
- PET scanRadiotracer-based internal imaging
- astrophysicsPhysics of celestial bodies
- radiotherapyMedical radiation for cancer
Nobel Prize
Highest academic honor
- 1923Early twentieth-century date
- experimentSystematic investigation procedure
- quantum theoryDiscrete-energy framework for subatomic phenomena
particle physics · University of Chicago · discovery · verification
- particle physicsquark, quarks, lepton, leptons, boson
- Relativistic Quantumantimatter, antiparticle, antiparticles, positron, chirality
- scatteringbackscattering, forward scatter, backscatter
- astrophysicsblack hole, neutron star, supernova, black holes, neutron stars
- radiation
- emissionsemission, emissions, CO2, CO2 emissions, carbon footprint