What does the Compton effect involve?

The Compton effect involves a high-energy photon interacting with an electron, resulting in the transfer of energy from the photon to the electron. In this process, the photon collides with the electron and loses some of its energy, which causes the electron to be ejected from its atom. As a consequence of this interaction, the photon changes direction and continues on with a lower energy and longer wavelength than it had before the collision, resulting in the phenomenon known as Compton scattering.

This effect is significant in the field of medical radiation technology, particularly in understanding how radiation interacts with matter, which is crucial for applications such as imaging and therapeutic techniques. The Compton effect demonstrates the wave-particle duality of light, as it shows the photon behaving like a particle with mass during the collision.

The other options do not accurately represent the nature of the Compton effect, as they mischaracterize the interaction between photons and electrons.