Mechanics

Physics 151
Lecture 7
Scattering Problem
(Chapter 3)

What We Did Last Time

Discussed Central Force Problems

Analyzed qualitative behaviors

Problem is reduced to one equation

l2
mr =
+ f (r )
3
mr

2
l
Unbounded, bounded, and circular orbits
V (r ) = V (r ) +
2mr 2
Condition for stable circular orbits

Defined orbit equation and solved it for the Kepler

problem
1 mk
2 El 2

Conic orbits depending on E

cos( )
= 2 1 + 1 +
2

r l
mk

Goals for Today

Introduce the scattering problem

Define scattering cross section

What happens when a particle collides

How often a particle gets scattered in a given direction
How to calculate it from the potential

Examples

1/r2 force Rutherford scattering

Rainbow scattering

Scattering Problem

Consider unbound motion under central force

Particle comes from infinity goes to infinity

Assume f(r) 0 as r

Orbit approaches straight lines at large r

Straight section A

on
i
t
c
a
r
e
Int

How are sections A and B related?

B
n
o
ti
c
e
ts
h
g
ai
r
t
S

Why Scattering Problem?

Physical observations are scattering phenomena

Experiments on microscopic objects

Photons scattered by an object Seeing

Electrons scattered by an object Electron microscope
Electron-nucleus scattering to probe nuclear structure
Neutrino-electron scattering to measure neutrino energy

Classical description fails with such targets

Still a good approximation in many cases

Classical framework of describing scattering used in QM as
well and its more intuitive to understand

Lousy Shooter Model

Imagine shooting bullets at a small target

Suppose you have very poor aim

Bullets spread uniformly

Number of bullets / area / time = intensity I
Number of hits will be proportional to the target size

Hit frequency
(bullets/sec)

N hits = I

Target cross section (m2)

Intensity (bullets/m2/sec)

Spherical Target

Imagine the target is a solid sphere

We want to know which direction the bullets ricochet

Number of bullets ricocheting into solid
angle d around a direction is

N = I ( ) d

Differential cross
section (m2/str)

Concentrate on the scattering angle

Target is round = has rotational symmetry

()d = () sin d d
Number of bullets between and + d is
2

N = d I () sin d = I ()2 sin d

0

Differential Cross Section

Classical mechanics is deterministic

Scattering angle is determined by the impact parameter s

Probability of scattering between
d
and + d is proportional
to the area of this ring
( s )

2 sds = ()2 sin d

s ds
( ) =
sin d
Absolute value taken because
ds/d might be negative

ds

Total Cross Section

s ds
() =
sin d

Lets check if this matches our idea of the total cross

section

Integrating over the entire solid angle

T = ()d = 2 sin ()d

4

= 2 sds = a 2
0

Total area of
the target

Central Force Scattering

Now consider scattering by general central force

s ds
How does relate to s?
( ) =
sin d
We need to know the shape of the orbit
at large r
d 2u
m dV (1/ u )
+u+ 2
=0
Look at the orbit equation
2
d
l
du
Angular momentum l is related to s by

l = r p 0 = rp0 sin = sp0

If we assume V(r) 0 as r

p02
E =T =
2m

l = sp0 = s 2mE

p0

Central Force Scattering

d 2u
1 dV (1/ u )
+u+ 2
=0
2
d
2s E
du

Orbit equation in terms of

the impact parameter s
and the energy E

One can in principle solve this equation and get

u = u ( , s, E )

r at =
u (, s, E ) = 0

Solve

Then we can calculate

s ds
(, E ) =
sin d

s = s ( , E )

Lets look at the orbit we already

know

Inverse-square force

Inverse Square Force

Consider a repulsive 1/r2 force

k
k
Ex: electrostatic force between
f (r ) = 2 V (r ) =
two like-sign charged particles
r
r
Equation and solution same as Kepler problem
Just flip the sign of k

1
mk
2 El 2
cos( )
= 2 1 + 1 +
2

r
l
mk

Radius > 0
Eccentricity

2 El 2
= 1+
>1
2
mk

Hyperbola

Hyperbolic Orbit

l = s 2mE

1
mk
2 El 2
= 2 1 + 1 +
cos( )
2

r
l
mk

2 El 2
= 1+
>1
2
mk

Solution is a hyperbola
>1E>0
1

1/r > 0 cos( ) <

Scattering angle is

= 2
A bit of
work

cos = 1/

2 Es
2
cot = 1 =
2
k

s=
cot
2E
2
Weve got what we need!

Differential Cross Section

s=
cot
2E
2

Differential cross section is

2

1 k
d

s ds
() =
=

cot
cot
sin d sin 2 E
2 d
2
2

1 k
1
=

4 2 E sin 4

Scattering of particles with charges Ze and Ze k = ZZ e 2

2

1 ZZ e
1
() =

4 2 E sin 4
2

Rutherford scattering:
particle (Z = 2) scattered
by atomic nuclei with Z
Existence of nuclei in atoms

Rutherford Scattering

Before Rutherfords discovery

Electron was known to exist in matter

Positive charge must exist in atoms, but the distribution was
unknown
2 2
1 ZZ e
1
Measurement of () showed () =

4 2 E sin 4 2
Positive charge of +Ze is in one particle
2 2
Z Z e
1
e.g. Z particles of +e each would give

4 2 E sin 4 2

Discovery of atomic nuclei

Total Cross Section

Integrating Rutherford cross section gives

T = ()d =
4

ZZ e 1 d (sin 2 )
= 2
=
0
3
sin 2
2E
Because electrostatic force is long-range
No matter how large is the impact parameter s, the particle
still gets slightly deflected
Reality: electrostatic field is shielded by the electrons around
the nucleus Finite cross section
2

1 ZZ e
1
2 sin

4 2 E sin 4
2

Rainbow Scattering

Equation for () assumes that s() is single-valued

True for Rutherford scattering, but not always

If s() is not monotonous

si dsi
( ) =
i sin d

s ds
( ) =
sin d

Sum up for
possible ss

At maximum = m
d
=0
ds

( ) =

Called rainbow scattering

s2

s1

( )

From Physics 15c

Rainbow

Youve probably heard of how rainbows are made

But the scattering angle depends on

where the light enters the drop
If you add up all possible positions,
rainbow will be washed out
They lied

Real rainbow is made by

1
the light that reflected
s
internally

2
2
2
2

Total deflection is
= 21 4 2 +

Rainbow
s
= 21 4 2 + sin 1 =
sin 1 = n sin 2
R

has a minimum around 137.5

From Physics 15c

n = 1.33

Illuminate a water droplet

with uniform light

min = 2.40
What is the distribution of
light intensity in ?
A bit difficult problem
Covered in Physics 143a and 151
s ds
This goes to infinity
The answer: I ()
at the turning point there
sin d

s R

From Physics 15c

Rainbow

Minimum of Sharp peak of intensity I()

I ()

min

r < rmin

smin

r > rmin

s R

Reflection observed only at

min This depends on n,
which depends slightly on
This is really how rainbow
is created

min

min

Attractive Force

Repulsive force can only scatter by 0 < <

Attractive force can do more

If the potential and the energy are just right,

particle can make multiple turns before emerging
Called spiraling or orbiting
V (r )

Orbiting region:
E V is small
r varies slowly

E
r

Summary

Discussed scattering problem

Defined and calculated cross sections

Foundation for all experimental particle physics

Differential cross section
Rutherford scattering

Done with central force problems

Next: Rigid Bodies

N hits = I

s ds
( ) =
sin d