Scattering in physics refers to the process of interaction between particles or waves that results in the deviation from their original path due to collisions, deflections, or reflections.
Elastic scattering is a type of scattering in which the kinetic energy and momentum of the scattered particles are conserved, while inelastic scattering involves a transfer of energy and/or momentum between the scattered particles.
Scattering is used in scientific research to study the properties of particles and materials, such as their size, shape, composition, and interactions with other particles. It is also used to analyze and characterize the structure of materials and to understand various physical phenomena.
Some examples of scattering phenomena include Rayleigh scattering (responsible for the blue color of the sky), Compton scattering (used in X-ray imaging), Raman scattering (used in spectroscopy), and Mie scattering (observed in clouds and fog).
Scattering cross-section is a measure of the probability of a particle undergoing scattering when interacting with other particles or fields. It is related to the scattering angle and is used to describe the strength of the scattering process.
