Hey guys, can someone tell me how the photoelectric effect is different to both Thomson and Compton scattering? Thanks~
I haven't studied Thompson and Compton scattering in class (take this as a grain of salt) but:
I think Compton scattering to do with x-rays and gamma rays in matter. The Compton effect is when the energy of the x-ray/gamma rays decreases due to blah blah blah. Thomson scattering was to do with something sort of similar, I haven't really read about it.
I think that scattering is when some object passes through a medium, they end up moving off in another direction. I can't really give you more detail, since I don't know about it.
Photoelectric effect I do know about. The photoelectric effect has to do with light that has been directed at a metal surface. If the light contains enough energy (E=hf), then an electron may be knocked off. These electrons will reach the cathode and thus produce a 'photo'current in the circuit.
Atomic spectra (absorption and emission) is sort of similar to the photoelectric effect. You have an electron being knocked out of it's place. It could move between states. If it moves up a state, the photon is absorbed (and you get a black line). If it moves down a state, the photon is emitted (and you get a coloured line). If it moves completely out of the atom, it is 'ionised' (this is what happens in the photoelectric effect I believe - thus being the connection between the two ideas).
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