WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

Compton Effect

​
time
1.28
θ (radians)
0.893
θ
ϕ
λ' = 4.090×10
-11
m

First observed by Arthur Compton in 1923, the Compton effect occurs when an incident X-ray photon scatters with an electron. The X-ray loses energy depending on the angle of scattering; the total momentum and energy of the photon and electron are conserved.