Comptonsähkö

Comptonsähkö, also known as the Compton effect, is a quantum mechanical phenomenon that occurs when a photon collides with a charged particle, typically an electron. Discovered by Arthur Compton in 1923, the effect demonstrates the particle-like nature of light. When a photon interacts with an electron, it transfers some of its energy and momentum to the electron, causing the photon to scatter at a different angle and with a lower energy (longer wavelength). The electron, in turn, recoils.

The key observation in the Compton effect is that the scattered photon has a wavelength that is longer than the incident photon, and this change in wavelength depends only on the scattering angle and not on the nature of the scattering material. This shift in wavelength is known as the Compton shift. The phenomenon can be explained by treating both the photon and the electron as particles obeying the laws of conservation of energy and momentum.

The Compton effect was crucial in solidifying the quantum theory of light, as it could not be explained by classical wave theory, which predicted that the scattered light should have the same wavelength as the incident light. The experimental verification of the Compton effect provided strong evidence for the existence of photons and the quantization of light. It has applications in various fields, including medical imaging, astrophysics, and materials science, where understanding the interaction of high-energy photons with matter is essential. The phenomenon is a fundamental aspect of the electromagnetic interaction.