Particles wave behavior compared

At concentrations of interest in many applications, the particles are separated by distances large compared witli their diameter and are distributed in space in a random fashion. Light scattered in a given direction from an incident beam by different particles will be composed of waves of different pha.ses. The total energy of the scattered wave per unit area—that is, the intensity of the scattered wave in a given direction—will be equal to the sum of the intensities of the individual particles in that direction. This type of behavior is referred to as independent scattering, and it simplifies calculation of the total scattering by particulate systems. 

Figure 7.14 Comparing diffraction patterns of x-rays and electrons. A, X-ray diffraction pattern of aiuminum. B, Electron diffraction pattern of aluminum. This behavior implies that both x-rays, which are electromagnetic radiation, and electrons, which are particles, travel in waves.

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