What Happens When Photon Strikes an Electron?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the interaction between a photon and an electron, specifically what occurs when a photon strikes an electron and the implications of energy absorption. The scope includes conceptual understanding and theoretical implications of photon behavior in such interactions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether a photon ceases to exist if all its energy is absorbed by an electron, suggesting that a low-frequency photon might be fully absorbed.
  • Another participant asserts that the photon ceases to exist when it loses all its energy to the electron.
  • A different participant references Einstein's Photoelectric Equation, indicating that the photon loses its energy to the electron, which can be expressed in terms of work function and kinetic energy.
  • One participant argues that if something loses all its energy and cannot interact further, it is valid to say that it no longer exists.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether a photon continues to exist after losing all its energy. Some assert it ceases to exist, while others explore the implications of energy absorption without reaching a consensus.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about energy transfer and the definitions of existence in the context of energy absorption, which remain unresolved.

SOP
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I know this might be very basic, but I'm really curios what will actually happen to photon if it strikes an electron and all its energy being absorbed by this electron, Does the photon cease to exist ?

I know that if the source of the photon is highly energetic, then it will give some of its energy to the electron and the photon will scatter off with lower energy. Well, you may correct if I'm wrong in this part.

If we suppose that the photon has a low frequency which means to say lower energy, and actually all of its energy being absorbed by the electron. Is it that the electron actually absorbed the photon itself, or the photon would continue to exist with Zero energy ?

Just someone may explain to me or even correct if I'm wrong on what I said.
 
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The photon ceases to exist.
 
The photon loses all of its energy to the photoelectron at once. Einstein's Photoelectric Equation shows that Energy of photon = Work function + Maximum Kinetic Energy of the electron. Hope it helped!
 
If something loses all of its energy and cannot interact with anything else, then its equally correct to say that it doesn't exist anymore. So either way, it doesn't exist. =)
 

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