n physics, Compton scattering is a type of scattering that X-rays and gamma rays undergo in matter. The inelastic scattering off electrons in matter results in a decrease in energy of an X-ray or gamma ray photon, called the Compton effect. Part of the energy of the X/gamma ray is transferred to a scattering electron, which recoils and is ejected from its atom, and the rest of the energy is taken by the scattered, "degraded" photon.