Momentum of Photon


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BenJohnson1H
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:17 am

Momentum of Photon

Postby BenJohnson1H » Mon Oct 15, 2018 12:43 pm

How can the momentum of a photon be calculated when a photon is essentially massless?

Chem_Mod
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Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2011 1:53 pm
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Re: Momentum of Photon

Postby Chem_Mod » Mon Oct 15, 2018 3:02 pm

No objects are massless, so by using m x v one can determine momentums.

Sarah Zhao 4C
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

Re: Momentum of Photon

Postby Sarah Zhao 4C » Mon Oct 15, 2018 3:04 pm

Mass of a photon is on the constants/equations sheet!

Brian Hom 2F
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:24 am

Re: Momentum of Photon

Postby Brian Hom 2F » Mon Oct 15, 2018 3:12 pm

In classical electromagnetic theory, light turns out to have energy (E) and momentum (p), and these happen to be related by E = pc. Quantum mechanics introduces the idea that light can be viewed as a collection of "particles": photons. Even though these photons cannot be brought to rest, and so the idea of rest mass doesn't really apply to them, we can certainly bring these "particles" of light into the fold of equation by just considering them to have no rest mass.

Yukta Italia 3I
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:24 am

Re: Momentum of Photon

Postby Yukta Italia 3I » Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:17 pm

What are some examples of particles or objects that don't have any momentum? Is that even possible?


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