Compton Effect

1. What is Compton Effect? Write down the momentum conservation and energy conservation
equations for Compton Effect. Derive an expression for Compton shift in wavelength for a
photon scattered from a free electron at an angle 𝜃. Define Compton wavelength.
2+1+4+1
2. Describe Compton wavelength of a particle. Calculate the Compton wavelength for an electron.
1+2

3. Explain why Compton Effect cannot be observed with visible light but can be observed due to X-
rays. 3

4. State the reason of modified and unmodified lines appearing in Compton Effect. 4

5. When photon strikes an electron tightly bound to the nucleus, explain what would be its effect on
the Compton shift. 2

6. A photon of frequency 𝜈 is scattered through an angle of 90o in Compton scattering. Show that the
scattered frequency is

𝑚 𝑐2
𝜈 ′ = ℎ𝜈+𝑚
0
2 𝜈. 3
0𝑐

7. X-rays of wavelength 15.0 pm are scattered from a target.

(i) Find the wavelength of X-rays scattered through 45o.
(ii) Find the maximum wavelength present in the scattered X-rays.
(iii) Find the maximum kinetic energy of the recoil electrons. 2+2+3

8. A radiation of wavelength 𝜆 = 0.712 Å suffers a Compton scattering in Carbon. Find the

wavelength shift of the photon scattered at 90o if it is scattered by the whole Carbon atom (Take
the mass of proton to be 1836 times the mass of an electron, also assume that the number of neutrons
and protons to be same).

9. Explain why the Compton Effect cannot be observed with (i) visible light, (ii) macroscopic bodies.
2+3

10. X-ray of wavelength 0.2 Å is scattered by a stationary particle of Compton wavelength of 2.43 pm
at an angle 45o. Calculate the wavelength of the scattered ray and the kinetic energy of the recoiled
particle. 2+3

11. A monochromatic radiation of wavelength 2.5 × 10−12 m is incident on free stationary electron.
Compute the wavelength of the beam which is scattered directly backwards. Also estimate the
energy gained by the scattered electron. 2+3