Compton effect and visible light

[UrbanXrisis]

why is it extremely dificult to observe the compton effect using visible light?

is it because visible light does not have a short enough wavelength to excite the electrons?

 

[SpaceTiger]

Compton scattering becomes noticable when the energy of the light is comparable to the rest energy of the electron (~511 keV, hard X-rays). Visible light is much less energetic than this (~few eV), so the scattering process can conserve energy and momentum without a significant change in the wavelength of the photon.

 

[UrbanXrisis]

does wavelength tell you the energy?

 

[SpaceTiger]

does wavelength tell you the energy?

Yes. For a photon,

$$E=h\nu=\frac{hc}{\lambda}$$

 

[UrbanXrisis]

so my assumption that visible light does not have a short enough wavelength to excite the electrons is correct? since thei wavelength is long, making energy low, hence, not enough eV to excite the electron?

 

[SpaceTiger]

so my assumption that visible light does not have a short enough wavelength to excite the electrons is correct? since thei wavelength is long, making energy low, hence, not enough eV to excite the electron?

The electron can receive both energy and momentum from a visible photon, but both would be just a tiny fraction of its rest energy. But yes, that's basically right.