Understanding Conservation of Momentum and Energy in Ideal Quantum Experiments

  • Thread starter Thread starter ehrenfest
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Experiment Quantum
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
3 replies · 2K views
ehrenfest
Messages
2,001
Reaction score
1
In the discussion of the ideal quantum experiment and Compton scattering, my book (Shankar page 23) gives these equations for the conservation of momentum and energy:

[tex]cp' = cp +h-bar(\omega+\omega')[/tex]
[tex]E' = E +h-bar(\omega-\omega')[/tex]


This experiment involved a photon of known energy and momentum colliding with a particle of unknown energy and momentum.

c is the speed of light, h-bar is h/(2*pi) omega is the frequency of the photon, E is energy, and p is momentum

Can someone please explain how those equations represent the conservation of momentum and energy?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Put glasses on your nose if you need: this is what is written.

Regards, Dany.
 
Why is it [tex]\omega - \omega'[/tex] for energy and [tex]\omega + \omega'[/tex] for momentum?
 
I see the photon is moving at first and right-moving after the collision and p and p' are only the modulus of the momentum.