ChatterBank0 min ago
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Photons are massless, and so do not possess "momentum" in that sense, i.e. they cannot transfer their kinetic energy to you in any meaningful way. Solar sails operate by the pressure of photons hitting them I understand.
I do recall from my A-Level physics that they do possess some sort of momentum, something to do with e=hf?
Photons are massless, and so do not possess "momentum" in that sense, i.e. they cannot transfer their kinetic energy to you in any meaningful way. Solar sails operate by the pressure of photons hitting them I understand.
I do recall from my A-Level physics that they do possess some sort of momentum, something to do with e=hf?
Aw Space I was waiting for somebody to say that light had no momentum so that I could jump in and you beat me to it.
I was looking for a link to radiometers or "light mills" to demonstrate this effect - those little toys that look like light bulbs with sails inside 1 side silver and one black that turn due to light pressure. It seems that they don't work like this at all - they turn the wrong way for that.
It's a sad day you dont learn something!
http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/LightMill/light-mill.html