Knowra Scattering Scattering Scattering is the redirection of waves or particles after interaction with matter or an inhomogeneity. Its pattern and strength depend on the scatterer and the incident radiation or particles.
Cross section (physics) : A measure of the likelihood or effective area of an interaction between incident particles or radiation and a target. Scattering cross sections quantify how likely a target is to redirect an incoming wave or particle.
Electromagnetic radiation : Energy propagated through space by oscillating electric and magnetic fields. Light and other electromagnetic waves scatter from particles, surfaces, and fluctuations in matter.
X-ray crystallography : A method that infers crystal structures from the diffraction patterns produced by scattered X-rays. Coherent scattering from crystal planes makes atomic arrangements measurable.
Absorption (electromagnetic radiation) : The transfer of electromagnetic energy to matter, often converting it into internal energy or other forms. Absorption removes energy from a beam rather than redirecting it into scattered directions.
Scattering amplitude : A complex quantity describing the strength and phase of a scattered wave as a function of direction. Its angular dependence encodes the pattern produced by a scattering interaction.
Particle : A localized physical entity, such as an atom, electron, or photon, described by physical properties. Scattering applies to particles as well as to waves.
Rutherford scattering : The deflection of charged particles by atomic nuclei, used to establish the nuclear model of the atom. Large-angle scattering exposed compact, positively charged atomic nuclei.
Reflection (physics) : The return of a wave from a boundary into the medium from which it came. Reflection is often treated separately from scattering, although rough surfaces produce diffuse scattering.
Elastic scattering : Scattering in which the total kinetic energy of the interacting particles is unchanged. It isolates changes in direction from energy transfer to the target.
Wave : A propagating disturbance that transports energy and can exhibit interference and diffraction. Wave behavior determines how phase and interference shape scattered radiation.
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