Guinier's Law

Beginning with the Amplitude equation

A(q) = (r )e iqr dV
expand the exponital

1
A(q ) = (r )dV i qr (r )dV (qr ) 2 (r )dV + .....
2!
given

(r )dV = V
0

and

center of mass (i.e.

r = r + r
i =1

r (r )dV = 0 when the origin of r is at the

r3 r4 ... = 0 if ri is centered at 0) of the particle

then:

1
A(q ) = 0V 0 (qr ) 2 (r )dV + .....
2
1

A(q ) = 0V 1 (qr ) 2 ...

2

The intensity is obtained by squaring the amplitude so :

I (q) = A(q ) = 02V 2 1 q 2 r 2 ...

2

I (q) = 02V 2 1 q 2 r 2 + q 4 r 4 ...

4

For small q then q4r4 <<< q2r2 and the approximation

I (q) = 02V 2 1 q 2 r 2 ...

is valid.

r is a vector that can be equated to the Cartesian coordinate system as

r 2 = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 + 2 x y + 2 x z + 2 yz
and
q 2 r 2 = q x2 x 2 + q y2 y 2 + q z2 z 2 + 2q x2 q y2 x y + 2q x2 q z2 x z + 2q y2 q z2 yz
For an isotropic system x 2 = y 2 = z 2 =

1 2
Rg , x y = x z = yz = 0 and
3

q x2 = q y2 = q z2 = q 2 therefore

I (q) 02V 2 1 q 2 Rg2 ...

3

or

1
I (q) 02V 2 exp q 2 Rg2

3
Which is known as Guinier's Law (approximation).