A photon scatters off of a stationary electron. Which of the following statements about the photon are true? (There could be more than one correct choice.)
A) Its energy does not change.
B) Its wavelength increases due to the scattering.
C) Its frequency increases due to the scattering.
D) Its frequency decreases due to the scattering.
E) Its wavelength decreases due to the scattering.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a photon scatters off a stationary electron (Compton scattering), it transfers some of its energy to the electron, resulting in a decrease in the photon's energy. Since the energy of a photon is directly proportional to its frequency (E = hf) and inversely proportional to its wavelength (E = hc/λ), a decrease in energy means the frequency decreases and the wavelength increases.

A Photon Scatters Off of a Stationary Electron