High-Energy Electron Scattering and Nuclear Structure Determinations. III. Carbon-12 Nucleus

The elastic scattering peak in carbon-12 is accompanied by a number of additional peaks corresponding to inelastic scattering of electrons from the various excited levels of the carbon nucleus. Three levels have been investigated by this method and correspond to the three known states at 4.43 Mev, 7.68 Mev, and 9.61 Mev. Angular distributions of the inelastically-scattered electrons have been obtained as well as the angular distribution of the elastically-scattered electrons. The angular distributions of the inelastic peaks fall off less steeply with angle than the elastic peak. By comparing the scattering from carbon with scattering from the proton, and using the theoretical value of the cross section of electrons scattered from the proton, it is possible to obtain "absolute" values for the elastic and inelastic scattering cross sections. From the elastic-scattering curve, information about the size and charge distribution in the carbon-12 nucleus may be derived. The charge distribution lies halfway between a Gaussian and a uniform model. The root mean square radius of the resultant charge distribution is (2.40±0.25)×${10}^{-13\mathrm{}}$ cm.