Photons do not have mass. They are considered to be massless particles, meaning they do not have any physical weight or mass. Instead, they are composed of energy and have properties like momentum and wavelength.
While photons do not have mass, they can still interact with each other through a process called scattering. This is when photons collide and change direction or energy, but they do not merge or combine with each other.
Photons can interact with matter in various ways, such as absorption, reflection, and transmission. When a photon collides with an atom, it can transfer its energy to the atom, causing it to move or vibrate. This interaction is what allows us to see objects, as the photons reflecting off of them enter our eyes.
Yes, photons always travel at the speed of light, which is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second. This is because they have no mass, so they are not affected by the forces that can slow down particles with mass. This is a fundamental principle of the theory of relativity.
Photons cannot be destroyed, as they are considered to be fundamental particles and cannot be broken down into smaller components. However, they can be absorbed by matter or converted into other forms of energy through processes like annihilation or pair production.