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IcedB
Oct20-04, 04:44 PM
Can anyone explain how the following formula is derived:
Force (F) = 2(P x A)/c
P=power A= Area

Tide
Oct20-04, 06:57 PM
It would appear that's just twice the momentum flux of radiation reflecting off of some area:

2 n \frac {h \nu}{c} A = 2 \frac {P A}{c}

where n is the photon density. In other words, energy flux is the same as momentum flux divided by c.