Answer to Question #143807 in Mechanics | Relativity for Afraid

Question

What is collision broadening.

Answer 1

The expansion of lines caused by the interaction between atoms was first analyzed in 1905 by Lorentz on the basis of classical electron theory. Lorentz used a very simplified scheme of interaction, namely, ignoring the damping of vibrations along the length of the free path, he believed that the interatomic electron along the entire length of the free path of the atom is not perturbed by any forces and performs a harmonic oscillatory motion with a frequency $\nu_0$ . At the moment of collision with another atom, the vibrations of the electron stop. Thus, only the role of impacts between atoms is considered, which is why this simplified theory is called collision broadening theory.