A Correspondence Principle in the Compton Effect

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Correspondence theorem for frequencies.—It is well known that the frequency emitted by a hydrogen atom as it falls from one of its quantized states to another may be expressed as a mean value of the frequency of motion of the electron (or overtone thereof) when averaged in the proper manner over orbits intermediate between the initial and final states. In the present paper it is proved that, similarly, the Compton shift is a properly taken mean of the classical Doppler shift. The quantum frequency actually scattered is thus a properly taken average of the frequency which would be scattered on the classical theory as the electron is accelerated from its state of rest to its final recoil condition.