The Compton effect, also known as Compton scattering, is a phenomenon in which the wavelength of a photon increases after it collides with an electron. This change in wavelength is due to the transfer of energy from the photon to the electron.
The wavelength change occurs because the photon loses some of its energy to the electron during the collision. This decrease in energy causes the wavelength to increase.
The Compton effect provides evidence for the wave-particle duality of light, as it shows that light has both wave-like and particle-like properties. The wave-like nature is demonstrated by the change in wavelength, while the particle-like nature is shown by the collision between the photon and the electron.
The amount of wavelength change in the Compton effect is affected by the energy of the incident photon and the mass of the electron. A higher energy photon or a lighter electron will result in a larger change in wavelength.
The Compton effect is used in various fields such as medical imaging, materials science, and nuclear physics. In medical imaging, it is used in X-ray machines to produce images of bones and internal organs. In materials science, it is used to study the structure of materials. In nuclear physics, it is used to study the properties of atomic nuclei.
