What is another name for coherent scatter?

Coherent scatter is also known as classical scatter. This phenomenon occurs when low-energy photons interact with matter and are scattered without a significant loss of energy. The scattering angle can vary, but the photon maintains its energy throughout this interaction, leading to no ionization of the atom. Coherent scatter predominantly takes place with low-energy x-ray photons and is more likely to occur at energies below the binding energy of electrons in the target atoms.

Understanding the other terms helps clarify why classical scatter is the correct answer. Inelastic scattering, on the other hand, describes interactions where energy is transferred, resulting in a change in wavelength and energy of the scattered photon. Photoelectric scattering involves the complete absorption of a photon, leading to the ejection of electrons from atoms, which is quite different from coherent scatter’s interaction. Compton scattering, while another type of scatter, specifically refers to the interaction of photons with electrons, resulting in energy loss and a change in direction. Thus, these terms highlight different processes that are distinct from the unaltered energy transfer characteristic of classical scatter.