ABSTRACT
The different light scattering experiments that can be performed by adjusting the wavelength relative to the size of the object provide different information on molecules in solution, ranging from molecular mass determinations to defining their dimensions, shapes, and sometimes their internal structure. Scattering of visible light yields molecular masses or diffusion coefficients, while scattering of X-rays and neutrons provides additional information on the shape of molecules. The chapter considers the interaction of a single molecule with an electromagnetic wave. It shows that the size of the particle relative to the wavelength of the incident light is of importance for the scattering properties. The chapter discusses how light scattering from molecules that are small compared to the wavelength of the incident light is different from scattering by large molecules. The modeling of the entire scattering curve by a molecular envelope, termed shape reconstruction, extends the scattering analysis beyond the mere extraction of molecular parameters.
