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In physics, elastic scattering refers to the scattering of particles that occurs as a result of an elastic collision. An elastic collision is one where the total kinetic energy of the colliding bodies remains unchanged. This means no kinetic energy is lost during the impact.12

A classic example is the Compton effect, where X-rays scatter off electrons. This interaction is explained as an elastic collision between an X-ray photon and an electron, similar to how billiard balls collide. In contrast, inelastic scattering involves a change in the total kinetic energy of the colliding particles.34

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