Nuclear scattering is a phenomenon in which particles or radiation are deflected or scattered when they interact with the nuclei of atoms. This can occur when a particle or radiation beam passes through a material, such as a solid, liquid, or gas.
Nuclear scattering occurs due to the electromagnetic forces between the particles and the nuclei of atoms. When a particle or radiation beam approaches an atom, it may be attracted or repelled by the electric charge of the nucleus, causing it to change direction or lose energy.
Elastic scattering is a type of nuclear scattering in which the particles or radiation do not lose any energy during the interaction and their trajectories are only deflected. Inelastic scattering, on the other hand, involves a transfer of energy between the particles or radiation and the nuclei, resulting in a change in their trajectories.
Nuclear scattering is a fundamental process that occurs in various natural and man-made phenomena. It can be observed in the scattering of sunlight by the Earth's atmosphere, the deflection of charged particles in a particle accelerator, and the formation of rainbows. It is also used in medical imaging techniques such as X-ray scattering and positron emission tomography (PET).
Nuclear scattering is a valuable tool for studying the properties of atomic nuclei. By analyzing how particles or radiation are scattered by nuclei, scientists can obtain information about the size, shape, and internal structure of nuclei. This helps in understanding the fundamental forces that govern the behavior of matter at the atomic level.