Question

What are the major effects encountered by an electron traversing matter?

Answer 1

Solution

Electron like any charged particle can interact with matter via various methods and lose their energy. Collision is the main type interaction they undergo, Some other possibilities are also listed below,

• INELASTIC COLLISIONS WITH ATOMIC ELECTRONS

This process leads to energy loss of charged particles

• ELASTIC SCATTERING FROM NUCLEI.

This effect leads to a deflection of the charged particle from its incident direction.

• EMISSION OF CHERENKOV RADIATION.

If the particle velocity is larger than the speed of light inside the material Cherenkov radiation is emitted. The energy loss due to emission of Cherenkov photons is small compared to the energy loss induced by inelastic collisions with atomic electrons.

• BREMSSTRAHLUNG

Light charged particles as electrons and positrons also loose energy by emission of Bremsstrahlung photons in the electric field of a nucleus.