## Wavelength= (h/p) [ENDORSED]

$\lambda=\frac{h}{p}$

Jonghwee Park 1K
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### Wavelength= (h/p)

Hello. In lecture, professor Lavelle said the equation Wavelength= (h/p) applies to everything but light. I was wondering why? Is it because light doesn't have mass? And if so, do photons not have mass?

Bryan Jiang 1F
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### Re: Wavelength= (h/p)

You are correct. λ=h/p cannot apply to light because light does not have mass. As a consequence, photons also have no mass.

Rosamari Orduna 1D
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### Re: Wavelength= (h/p)

Hi, I'm not 100% sure but, photons do not have mass per se. De Broglie's is not the appropriate equation to used for photons at rest, however if they have a "non zero" momentum, then I think we do use his equation. Again, don't quote me. I tried :)

Yitzchak Jacobson 1F
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### Re: Wavelength= (h/p)

the reason why that formula doesn't apply to light is because it doesn't contain mass. hope this answers your question :)

Briana Lopez 4K
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### Re: Wavelength= (h/p)

Thank you this is helpful., also i think the mass of an electron is 9.10938356 × 10-31 kilograms

Chem_Mod
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### Re: Wavelength= (h/p)

This equation applies to the DeBroglie wavelength which applies to calculating the wavelength of a particle as a means to look at its wave-like properties. It mainly applies to subatomic particles because those particles are the only ones that yield a measurable value for the wavelength.

Phil Timoteo 1K
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### Re: Wavelength= (h/p)

I believe you're correct it's because photons do not have a mass.

Isobel Tweedt 1E
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### Re: Wavelength= (h/p)  [ENDORSED]

Just to clarify the De Broglie equation does not work for objects without a rest mass (such as light). If you think about how light always has a constant speed it will never stop and thus never have a resting mass.