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scattering
The process whereby light is absorbed and reemitted in all directions, with essentially no change in wavelength (or energy). Different types of scattering involve different types of particle. Photons scatter off electrons by Thomson scattering or, if the photon has a lot of energy (as in the case of X-rays and gamma-rays), by Compton scattering. If the scattering particle is small compared with the wavelength, the photon experiences Rayleigh scattering; if it's large, the process is known as Mie scattering.
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