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Modern Physics: PHY-104 Spring Semester 2013

Recitation on the Compton eect


Solution

1. Show that a photon cannot transfer all of its energy to a free electron. (Hint: Energy
and momentum must be conserved.)
Answer 1:
If all the photons energy is transferred to the electron, then the conservation of linear
momentum implies,

h
= pe , (1)

where pe is the momentum of the electron after the collision and h/ is the photons
momentum before collision.

If K is the kinetic energy of the electron after the collision, and m0 is its rest mass,
then conservation of energy implies,

hf + m0 c2 = m0 c2 + K
hc
K = hf =

= pe c, using equation (1).

The total energy of electron can therefore be found using the relativistic expression,

Ee = (m0 c2 )2 + (pe c)2
Ee2 = (m0 c2 )2 + (pe c)2 .

But Ee = m0 c2 + K, therefore,

(m0 c2 + K)2 = (m0 c2 )2 + (pe c)2


(m0 c2 )2 + K 2 + 2Km0 c2 = (m0 c2 )2 + (pe c)2
p2e c2 + 2pe cm0 c2 = p2e c2
2m0 cpe = 0,

which implies pe = 0 which is impossible because it corresponds to = and the


incident photon cannot have innite wavelength.

Date: 25 March, 2013 1


Modern Physics: PHY-104 Spring Semester 2013

IMPORTANT NOTE: A free electron is one which is in a zero potential environ-


ment, with continuously varying energy values. A photon can indeed transfer all of its
energy to an electron inside a metal, for example, this happens in photoelectric eect.

2. If the maximum energy given to an electron during Compton scattering is 30 keV,


what is the wavelength of the incident photon? (Hint: What is the scattering angle
for maximum energy transfer?)
Answer 2:
Maximum energy transfer to an electron occurs when the incident photon is backscat-
tered, i.e., scattered through 180 . In this case, the Compton shift in wavelength
is,

= = c (1 cos 180 )
2h
= =
m0 c
2h
= + .
m0 c

Here c h/m0 c is the Compton wavelength.

hc

Before collision

After collision
hc

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Modern Physics: PHY-104 Spring Semester 2013

Now, using the conservation of energy,

E E = K
hc hc
= K

hc( )
= K

hc( )
=
( K) ( )
2h 1 2h
hc = +
m0 c K m0 c
( )
2h2 2h
= +
m0 K m0 c
2h
= 2 +
m0 c
2h 2h2
2 + = 0
m0 c m0 K
2 + (4.85 1012 ) (2 1022 ) = 0.

A physical plausible solution of this quadratic equation is,



b b2 4ac
=
2a
(4.85 1012 ) (4.85 1012 )2 4(2 1022 )
=
2
= 11.8 pm.

3. In a Compton collision with an electron, a photon of violet light ( = 4000 A) is


backscattered through an angle of 180 .
(a) How much energy (eV) is transferred to the electron in this collision?
(b) Compare your result with the energy this electron would acquire in a photoelectric
process with the same photon.
(c) Could violet light eject electrons from a metal by Compton collision? Explain.
Answer 3:
The Compton shift in wavelength for a backscattered photon is,

= c (1 cos 180) = c (2) = 4.86 1012 pm.

The kinetic energy gained by an electron is given by, (the derivation is given at the

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Modern Physics: PHY-104 Spring Semester 2013

end of the question)


K = hf (2)
+
(1243 eV nm) (4.86 1012 pm)
=
(400 109 m)(4.86 1012 pm + 400 109 m)
= 3.7 105 eV.

(b) If the violet photon, somehow, transfers all of its energy to the electron, it will
acquire an energy given by,

hc 1243 eV nm
E= = = 3.1 eV,
400 nm

which is very large as compared to the energy acquired in the Compton eect. (We
have already seen that a photon cannot transfer all of its energy to a free electron).
Now photoelectric eect may or may not take place depending on the metals work
function, in comparison with 3.1 eV.

(c) Violet light cannot eject electrons from a metal surface due to Compton eect
because the energy transferred by the X-ray photons (3.7 105 eV,) from part (a) is
much smaller than typical work functions.

Derivation of equation (2)

K = E E
( )
1 1
= hc

( )

= hc

Now = = + , where = h
m0 c
(1 cos ),
( )
+
K = hc
( + )
( )
hc
=
( + )
( )

= hf .
( + )

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Modern Physics: PHY-104 Spring Semester 2013

4. An electron initially at rest recoils from a head-on collision with a photon. Show that
the kinetic energy acquired by the electron is 2hf /(1 + 2), where is the ratio of
the photons initial energy to the rest energy of the electron.
Answer 4:
Using equation (2),


K = hf
+
2h 2h
= hf 2h
, using =
m0 c( + m0 c
) m0 c
2h(hf )
= ( )
m0 c mm0 c+2h
0c

2(hf )(hf )
= ( 2hf
)
mo c f + m 0c

2hf hf
= ( )
m0 c2 1 + m2hf
0c
2

2hf (hf /m0 c2 )


= ( )
1 + m2hf
0c
2

2hf hf
= , where = ,
1 + 2 m0 c 2
which is the required result.

5. Derive the relation,


( )
hf
cot = 1+ tan ,
2 m0 c2
between the direction of motion of the scattered photon and the recoil electron in the
Compton eect.
Answer 5:

hc


hc

Date: 25 March, 2013 5


Modern Physics: PHY-104 Spring Semester 2013

hc
p = = momentum of incident photon.

hc
p1 = = momentum of scattered photon at an angle .

p2 = momentum of scattered electron at an angle .

Using the law of conservation of momentum along the initial direction of incident
photon, we have,

p = p1 cos + p2 cos
p2 cos = p p1 cos .

Similarly application of law of conservation of linear momentum perpendicular to the


direction of incident photon yields,

p2 sin = p1 sin .

Taking the ratio,


p2 sin p1 sin
=
p2 cos hf
c
p1 cos
1
tan = hf
p1 c sin
cot
1
=
sin
cot
sin
=
cos
sin
=
( cos ) +
sin
=
(1 cos ) + mc h
(1 cos )
sin
=
(1 cos ) + mc hf
2 (1 cos )
( )
hf sin
tan 1 + =
mc2 1 cos
2 sin 2 cos 2
=
1 cos2 2 + sin2 2
2 sin 2 cos 2
=
2 sin2 2

= cot
2

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Modern Physics: PHY-104 Spring Semester 2013

which is the required result.

6. (a) In considering the Compton eect, how would you compare the scattering of pho-
tons from bound and free electrons?

(b) An X-ray photon has sucient energy to overcome the work function. What
determines whether the photoelectric or Compton eect takes place?
Answer 6:
(a) In the Compton eect, if the electron is bound to an atom, the atom as a whole
will recoil, carrying away most of the energy in the collision. This means the change in
wavelength (and energy) of the scattered electron is smaller, may be even undetectable.
h
This is shown by = Mc
(1cos ) which decreases as M goes up. For a free electron,
M = mass of an electron, giving very large . So, Compton eect is more likely to
be easily observable for free electron.

(b) If the electron is free, both the Compton eect and photoelectric eects are likely
to occur.They will, however, have their own respective probabilities. If the electron is
bound, even then both the processes are likely, but Compton scattering will become
less noticeable.

Date: 25 March, 2013 7

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