- #1
bucher
- 79
- 1
This isn't homework but I need to ask my question with an example.
Say you're out in space and you have a laser pointer. You point the laser pointer straight out in front of you and turn it on. You're able to leave the laser pointer on without holding onto it, so the laser pointer is just floating out in front of you. Now, say, you decide to push the laser pointer down. You push the laser pointer and it begins to float downwards (still pointing straight out in front of you).
My question is do the photons of the moving laser pointer change their trajectory by moving down as well as out, or do they still just move straight out? Likewise, if the laser pointer were to spin, would the photons spiral around the pointer while moving out?
Say you're out in space and you have a laser pointer. You point the laser pointer straight out in front of you and turn it on. You're able to leave the laser pointer on without holding onto it, so the laser pointer is just floating out in front of you. Now, say, you decide to push the laser pointer down. You push the laser pointer and it begins to float downwards (still pointing straight out in front of you).
My question is do the photons of the moving laser pointer change their trajectory by moving down as well as out, or do they still just move straight out? Likewise, if the laser pointer were to spin, would the photons spiral around the pointer while moving out?