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Light Photons

01/29/2011 5:19 AM

if light is a stream of photons, does it have weight"

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#1

Re: light photons

01/29/2011 6:26 AM

Yes it have weight, for more in detail study refer Modern physics.

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#4
In reply to #1

Re: light photons

01/29/2011 6:56 AM

another ? guys. is time and the speed of light the same thing? if a person travelling at a high speed and arrives at some point ahead of time, how does that apply to the physical aspect of things? younger for example. or is it just something abstact?

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#6
In reply to #4

Re: light photons

01/29/2011 8:24 AM

The photon is a massless particle. It has no 'weight' per se -- though, if a photon is absorbed the 'weight' of the object absorbing it will theoretically increase according to E=mc2. Its path follows a geodesic through space-time and will 'curve' in the presence of a gravitational field due to the equivalence principle.

Here's a link to an excellent and very entertaining book that will answer most of your questions. Read it, then come back and ask more questions:

http://www.amazon.com/Tompkins-Paperback-containing-Wonderland-ebook/dp/B001PO59EW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1296307252&sr=8-3

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#8
In reply to #4

Re: light photons

01/29/2011 10:30 AM

I'm reluctant to answer all of your question, because I don't know exactly what some of it is saying / asking (and if I misinterpret it, I may answer it incorrectly), but, if your question is: "is the slowdown of time at speeds close to the speed of light something real or something abstract", the answer is that it is something real.

As one example, look for the experiments on the lifetime of certain particles as they approach the earth at very high speed (I can't remember which particles were the subject of the experiment, and don't have a reference directly to hand), but the gist of the experiment / results was this:

The concentration of particles was measured at some high elevation (6000 meters?) and then at ~sea level. Based on the time that a non-moving observer on earth measured for the transit from the high altitude to the low altitude, the particle concentration at sea level should have been some very low value.

The concentration of particles at sea level was actually much higher than that, and, after suitable scrutiny, it was determined that it was because time moved much slower for those fast moving particles (thus, more survived to get to sea level).

(As, is often the case, my (off the cuff) paraphrasing of scientific experiments / results is not always precise ;-)

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#9
In reply to #8

Re: light photons

01/29/2011 11:08 AM

Re: As one example, look for the experiments on the lifetime of certain particles as they approach the earth at very high speed (I can't remember which particles were the subject of the experiment, and don't have a reference directly to hand), but the gist of the experiment / results was this:

Ok, the particles were muons, and you can find a discussion in this video lecture:
http://galileoandeinstein.physics.virginia.edu/lectures/srelwhat.html

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#10
In reply to #1

Re: light photons

01/31/2011 10:35 AM

if light has mass than its speed makes its weight to infinity.

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Guru

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#11
In reply to #10

Re: light photons

02/06/2011 6:23 AM

you just blew my mind

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#2

Re: light photons

01/29/2011 6:35 AM

...xrays and gamma rays are photons to(pockets of energy). So they have no electrons, protons or neutrons (according to my old teacher...or if I remember correctly).

Here are some links if you want to read up some more:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon

http://www.phys.ncku.edu.tw/mirrors/physicsfaq/ParticleAndNuclear/photon_mass.html

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#3
In reply to #2

Re: light photons

01/29/2011 6:40 AM

thanks guys. i've pondered on this question for years. i've never run across anyone smart enough too know.

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#5
In reply to #3

Re: light photons

01/29/2011 7:01 AM

Well, I have shined my torch on my hand and the light did not press it down...that is how I found it out!

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#7
In reply to #5

Re: light photons

01/29/2011 8:39 AM

Here's an experiment to try if you can get your hands on a >1000 joule photographic flash unit. Put your hand in front of the reflector and fire the gun. You'll feel it punch your hand.

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