Photon absorption by Protons?

Question

In the photoelectric effect an electron can absorb a photon.

I was just wondering can a Proton and/or Neutron absorb a photon aswell, and if so what happens.

A named phenomonon wouldn't harm either (pending on whether there was one or not).

Thanks. Me.

Answer 1

Bekki B is absolutely correct. Yes in answer to both scenarios.

A photon will happily absorb another photon becoming one photon with the combined energy of the two original ones. Likewise, my understanding is that a nuclear reaction can result in the absorption of high-energy electromagnetic radiation (a gamma-ray photon) causeing the absorbing nucleus to change to another species by ejecting a subatomic particle, such as a proton, neutron, or alpha particle. For example, magnesium-25, upon absorbing a photon of sufficient energy, emits a proton and becomes sodium-24.

A photon exists only as energy In the case of an electron, the energy of the photon goes entirely into boosting the electron into a higher orbital.

Answer 2

Yes, as Bekki B said a proton/neutron can absorb a photon the resulting energy of the photon is usually transferred into a phonon (lattice vibration)

During nuclear fission/fusion protons/neutrons within the nucleus emit photons in the form of gamma rays.

You can also answer your question from through the interpretation of the standard model in which the photon is described as the messenger particle for the electromagnetic force. In this context an electron and a proton are attracted to each other because they "bounce" photons back and forth.

Answer 3

A proton can absorb a photon and scatter off just as an electron would. The quarks within a neutron have charge, so they, too, could absorb a photon.