Chapter 5

Lecture 4

Rutherford Scattering

Akhlaq Hussain 1
 5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula

Rutherford’s experiment of 𝛼-particles scattering by the atoms in a thin foil of gold

revealed the existence of positively charged nucleus in the atom.
➢ The 𝛼-particles were scattered in all
directions.
➢ Some passes undeflected by the foil.
➢ Some were scattered through larger
angles even back scattered.
➢ The only valid explanation of large
angle deflection was if the total positive
charge were concentrated at some small
region.
➢ Rutherford called it nucleus.
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5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula

𝒖′𝟏

3
 5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula
Consider an incident charge particle with charge z1e is scattered through a target
with charge z2e.
The trajectory of scattered particles is a hyperbola as shown.
The trajectory of the particles in repulsive field with origin at o' is shown.
In the case of attractive force, center will be at “o”.
when particles are apart at large distance, the total
energy it posses is in form of Kinetic energy
2
𝑘 ′ = 1ൗ2 µ𝑢1′ = 𝐸

2𝐸
𝑢1′ =
µ 4
 5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula
𝑆 𝑑𝑠
We have to find 𝜎 𝜃 ′ = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃′ 𝑑𝜃 ′

𝑙 = µ𝑢1′ 𝑆 = 𝑆 2µ𝐸
Where S is the impact parameter. The trajectory is hyperbola, from equation of conic
𝛼
= 𝑒 cos 𝛼 − 1 and for 𝑟 → ∞
𝑟
1 1
⇒ cos 𝛼 = =
𝑒 2𝐸𝑙2
1+
µ𝑘2

From the figure 2𝛼 + 𝜃 ′ = 𝜋

𝜋−𝜃′
𝛼=
2

𝜋−𝜃′ 𝜃′
Now cot 𝛼 = cot = tan 5
2 2
5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula

𝜃′
cot 𝛼 = tan
2

𝜃′ cos 𝛼 cos 𝛼
tan = =
2 sin 𝛼 1−𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝛼

𝜃′ cos 𝛼
tan =
2 1
cos 𝛼 −1
𝑐𝑜𝑠2 𝛼

𝜃′ 1
tan =
2 1
−1
𝑐𝑜𝑠2 𝛼

𝜃′ 1 1
tan = =
2 𝑒 2 −1 2𝐸𝑙2
1+ 2 −1
𝜇𝑘

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 5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula
−1Τ
𝜃′ 2𝐸𝑙 2 2
tan =
2 𝜇𝑘 2

𝜃′ 𝑘 𝜇 𝑘
tan = = Because 𝑢1′ =
2𝐸
2 𝑙 2𝐸 𝑙𝑢1′
µ
Since 𝑙 = µ𝑢1′ S
𝜃′ 𝑘
⇒ tan = 2
2 𝑆µ𝑢1′

Differentiating with θ' above equation can be written as.

1 2 𝜃′ −𝑘 𝑑𝑠
𝑠𝑒𝑐 = 2
2 2 𝑆 2 µ𝑢1′ 𝑑𝜃′

2
𝑑𝑠 𝑆 2 µ𝑢1′
⇒ = 𝜃′
𝑑𝜃′ 2𝑘 2
𝑐𝑜𝑠 2
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 5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula

Since the differential scattering Cross-Section is given by.

𝑆 𝑑𝑠
𝜎 𝜃′ =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃′ 𝑑𝜃′
2
𝑆 𝑆 2 µ𝑢1‘
𝜎 𝜃′ = 𝜃′ 𝜃′ 𝜃′
2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2𝑘 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2
2 2 2
2
𝑆 3 µ𝑢1‘
𝜎 𝜃′ = 𝜃′ 𝜃′
4𝑘 𝑠𝑖𝑛 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 3 2

𝜃′ 𝑘
Since tan = 2
𝟐 𝑆µ𝑢1′

𝜃′
𝑘 cos 𝟐
⇒𝑠= 2 𝜃′
Putting in above equation
µ𝑢1′ sin 𝟐
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5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula

3 𝜃′ 2
𝑘3 𝑐𝑜𝑠 µ𝑢1′
𝜎 𝜃′ = 6
2
′ . 𝜃′ 𝜃′
µ3 𝑢1′ 𝑠𝑖𝑛3 𝜃 4𝑘 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠 3
2 2 2

𝑘2 1
𝜎 𝜃′ = 4 . 𝜃′
µ2 𝑢1′ 4 𝑠𝑖𝑛 4
2

𝑘2 1
𝜎 𝜃′ = .
4𝐸 2 4𝑠𝑖𝑛4 𝜃′
2

Since 𝑘 = 𝑧1 𝑧2 𝑒 2 , Therefore,
2
𝑘2 1 𝑧1 𝑧2 𝑒 2 1
𝜎 𝜃′ = . = .
4𝐸 2 4𝑠𝑖𝑛4 𝜃′ 4𝐸 2 4
4𝑠𝑖𝑛 2
𝜃′
2

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 5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula
The total cross section in Centre of mass coordinate system will be

𝜎𝐶.𝑀 𝜃 ′ = 2𝜋 න 𝜎 𝜃 ′ sin 𝜃 ′ 𝑑𝜃 ′

2
′ 𝑧1 𝑧2 𝑒 2 1
𝜎𝐶.𝑀 𝜃 = 2𝜋 ‫׬‬ . 𝜃′
sin 𝜃 ′ 𝑑𝜃 ′
4𝐸 2 4𝑠𝑖𝑛4 2

2
𝑧1 𝑧2 𝑒 2 1 𝜃′ 𝜃′
𝜎𝐶.𝑀 𝜃′ =𝜋 ‫׬‬ 𝜃′
2 sin cos 𝑑𝜃 ′
2𝐸 2 4
4𝑠𝑖𝑛 2 2 2

′ 𝑧12 𝑧22 𝑒 4 𝜋 3𝜃
′ 𝜃′
𝜎𝐶.𝑀 𝜃 = ‫ 𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑜𝑐 ׬‬2 cos 𝑑𝜃 ′
4𝐸 2 2

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 5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula
If 𝑧1 = 2, 𝑧2 = 79, e = 1.6 × 10−19 𝐶, 𝐸 = 7.9𝑀𝑒𝑉 & 𝑟0 = 10−14 m.
➢ If we solve the question for 𝝈𝑻 𝜽′ we get a divergent results.
➢ The physical reason is that coulomb field, which has infinite range.
➢ Particles with large impact parameters will be deflected through some angle.
➢ Hence the small but finite contribution led us to an infinite value for the 𝝈𝑪.𝑴 𝜽′ .
➢ In case of atoms, the nuclear coulomb field is screened by electrons around the
nucleus and results in finite range and finite cross-section.
Such field is represented by
1 −𝑟Τ
𝑉= 𝑒 𝑎
𝑟
“𝑎 is the screening radius.
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 5.5 Rutherford Scattering Formula
Distance of Closest approach
The distance at which scattered particles turned away from the scattering center.
𝑘 𝑧1 𝑧2 𝑒 2
𝑟1 = 𝑎 1 + 𝑒 and 𝑎= =
2𝐸 2𝐸

𝑧1 𝑧2 𝑒 2 2𝐸𝑙 2
𝑟1 = 1+ 1+
2𝐸 𝑧12 𝑧22 𝑒 4 µ

For the smallest distance 𝑙 must be zero.

𝑧1 𝑧2 𝑒 2
Therefore, 𝑟1(𝑚𝑖𝑛) = 𝑟0 = 1+1
2𝐸

𝑧1 𝑧2 𝑒 2
𝑟1(𝑚𝑖𝑛) =
𝐸

𝑧1 𝑧2 𝑒 2
𝐸= 12
𝑟0
5.6 Examine the scattering Produced by a Repulsive central force 𝒇 = 𝒌𝒓−𝟑
𝑘 1−𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝜃𝑠Τ
𝜎 𝜃 𝑑𝜃 = ∙ , where 𝑥 is the ratio 𝜋 and E is the energy.
2𝐸 𝑥 2 2−𝑥 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜋𝑥

Solution: The repulsive central force is 𝑓 = 𝑘ൗ𝑟 3 = 𝑘𝑢3 and the differential equation
for the orbit is
𝑑2 𝑢 𝜇𝑓 𝑢 𝜇𝑘𝑢3
+𝑢 = − 2 2 = − 2 2
𝑑𝜃2 𝑙 𝑢 𝑙 𝑢

𝑑2 𝑢 µ𝑘
⇒ 2 + 1+ 𝑢=0
𝑑𝜃 𝑙2

𝑑2 𝑢
⇒ 2 + 𝛾2𝑢 = 0
𝑑𝜃

µ𝑘
𝛾= 1 + 2 (1)
𝑙
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The solution of this differential equation is
𝑢 = 𝐴 cos 𝛾𝜃 + B sin 𝛾𝜃
Before the collision particles is at angle 𝜃 = 𝜋 and at 𝑟 = ∞
𝑢(𝜃 = 𝜋) = 0
⇒ 𝐴 cos 𝛾𝜋 + 𝐵 cos 𝛾𝜋 = 0
⇒ 𝐴 = −𝐵 tan 𝛾𝜋 (a)
After collision to 𝑟 = ∞ at angle 𝜃 = 𝜃𝑠 yield the condition
𝐴 cos 𝛾𝜃𝑠 + 𝐵 sin 𝛾𝜃𝑠 = 0
Putting the value of A
⇒ −𝐵 tan 𝛾𝜋 cos 𝛾𝜃𝑠 + 𝐵 sin 𝛾𝜃𝑆 = 0
⇒ − tan 𝛾𝜋 cos 𝛾𝜃𝑠 + sin 𝛾𝜃𝑆 = 0 14
 sin 𝛾𝜋
⇒− cos 𝛾𝜃𝑠 + sin 𝛾𝜃𝑠 = 0
cos 𝛾𝜋

⇒ − sin 𝛾𝜋 cos 𝛾𝜃𝑠 + sin 𝛾𝜃𝑠 cos 𝛾𝜋 = 0

⇒ sin 𝛾 𝜃𝑠 − 𝜋 = 0
⇒ 𝛾 𝜃𝑠 − 𝜋 = sin−1 (0) = 𝜋
𝜋 𝜋
⇒𝛾= = 𝜃𝑠
𝜃𝑠 −𝜋 𝜋 −1
𝜋

In terms of 𝑥 = 𝜃Τ𝜋
𝟏
𝜸=
𝒙−𝟏
Putting in equation (1) and squaring both the sides
µ𝑘 1
1+ 2 = 2
𝑙 𝑥−1
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 µ𝑘 1
⇒1 + =
2µ𝐸𝑆 2 𝑥−1 2
µ𝑘 1
⇒ = −1
2µ𝐸𝑆 2 𝑥−1 2

𝑘 1− 𝑥−1 2
⇒ =
2𝐸𝑆 2 𝑥−1 2

𝑘 1−1−𝑥 2 +2𝑥 −𝑥 𝑥−2

⇒ = =
2𝐸𝑆 2 𝑥−1 2 𝑥−1 2

2 𝑘 𝑥−1 2 𝑘
⇒𝑆 = − =− 𝑥 − 1 2 𝑥 −1 𝑥 − 2 −1
2𝐸 𝑥 𝑥−2 2𝐸

Differentiating above equation

𝑘 2 𝑥−1 𝑥−1 2 𝑥−1 2
⇒ 2S𝑑𝑆 = − − 2 − 𝑑𝑥
2𝐸 𝑥 𝑥−2 𝑥 𝑥−2 𝑥 𝑥−2 2

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 𝑘 2𝑥 𝑥−1 𝑥−2 − 𝑥−1 2 𝑥−2 −𝑥 𝑥−1 2
⇒ 2S𝑑𝑆 = − dx
2𝐸 𝑥 2 𝑥−2 2

𝑘 2𝑥 𝑥−2 − 𝑥−1 𝑥−2 −𝑥 𝑥−1

⇒ 2S𝑑𝑆 = − 𝑥−1 dx
2𝐸 𝑥 2 𝑥−2 2

𝑘 2𝑥 2 −4𝑥−𝑥 2 +3𝑥−2−𝑥 2 +𝑥
⇒ 2S𝑑𝑆 = − 𝑥−1 dx
2𝐸 𝑥 2 𝑥−2 2

𝑘 −2
⇒ 2S𝑑𝑆 = − 1−𝑥 dx
2𝐸 𝑥 2 𝑥−2 2

𝑘 1−𝑥
⇒ S𝑑𝑆 = − dx
2𝐸 𝑥 2 2−𝑥 2

No the differential cross section is given by

𝑆𝑑𝑆
𝜎 𝜃 𝑑𝜃 =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃

𝑘 1−𝑥 1
⇒ 𝜎 𝜃 𝑑𝜃 = dx
2𝐸 𝑥 2 2−𝑥 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜋𝑥
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