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Concept

Compton scattering

A central sphere emits light rays that diverge into two distinct beams, one bright and one dim, symbolizing the concept of Compton scattering where X-rays interact with matter to produce scattered photons at different frequencies.

The 1923 experiment in which Arthur Compton fired X-rays at graphite and observed the scattered photons emerge at lower frequencies, with the shift depending only on the scattering angle. The result could be explained only by treating light as particles carrying momentum hf/c and applying conservation laws to billiard-ball collisions with electrons. It silenced most remaining doubts about the reality of photons.

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