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swerdna
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Is light a physical thing, in other words, is it matter?
swerdna said:Is light a physical thing, in other words, is it matter?
E = mc^2 is the equivalence of mass and energy, not matter and energy.lanman said:Einstein's equation shows that energy and matter are the same concept, so in a way, it is.
In fact, it does.meopemuk said:this doesn't make them any "less" matter than electrons or protons.
Eugene.
DaveC426913 said:In fact, it does.
Light is not matter. Light is energy. This is not a point of debate.
You agree, but you're looking for debate? Are you just looking to stir a pot or something?swerdna said:I agree, but I think there are plenty who will debate this (I hope). Not being smart, just trying to learn,
But such a statement does not distinguish it from matter. Nonetheless, distinction from radiation is a practical meaning for modern use of the term "matter".DaveC426913 said:Light is energy.
If they are, they aren’t making that point clear. Does that light has “relativistic mass” mean it is matter?cesiumfrog said:Swerdna, are you sure those people weren't merely asserting that light has (relativistic) mass?
Matter contains energy, but how does that make energy matter? A sponge can contain water, but that doesn't make the sponge water.castlegates said:Matter to me is localized energy. In this instance light is matter. Thats my take anyway.
swerdna said:My purpose is not to stir. There are many people who argue that light is matter, and I would like to learn what their argument is and how credible it is. One of the hardest things with learning modern science is that there seems to be so many conflicting conclusions, it's hard to know which to believe.
Algebraically, this is what you've said:castlegates said:Matter to me is localized energy. In this instance light is matter. Thats my take anyway.
Thats exactly what it makes it ... if true.Because matter is localized energy does not make light matter.
Didn't say that light does not move at C, only that if it is localized, it can take on the characteristics of matter. A solor sail for instance one could consider as a situation where light is very briefly localized, by which light takes on a characteristic of mass by which a sail can be pushed.Not the least reason of which is because light is not localized; it moves at c.
No. It does not. This claim holds no water.castlegates said:Thats exactly what it makes it ... if true.
One can "consider" all one wants. One can consider faeries, but that doesn't make them exist.castlegates said:Didn't say that light does not move at C, only that if it is localized, it can take on the characteristics of matter. A solor sail for instance one could consider as a situation where light is very briefly localized
You are making up definitions as you go. This has nothing to do with reality. Science is not a form of poetry.castlegates said:Light could be said to move in a straight line, but what if it follows an orbital pattern. I.E. localization.
DaveC426913 said:Algebraically, this is what you've said:
A = Matter
B = Energy
c = localized (a modifier)
Your argument is
Since A = cB, therefore B=A. (Where did the c go?)
Because matter is localized energy does not make light matter. Not the least reason of which is because light is not localized; it moves at c. And If it didn't, it wouldn't be light.
Lene Hau (Harvard University and Rowland Institute)
The latest results from the Bose-Einstein condensation experiment at the Rowland Institute presented using a combination of laser and evaporative cooling to create Bose-Einstein condensates of sodium atoms in a '4D' magnetic bottle. We have succeeded in reducing the light speed in a Bose condensate to the speed of a bicycle by using the effect of electromagnetically induced transparency. Most recently we have brought light to a complete standstill. The results have implications for quantum information processing, for probing and manipulation of Bose-Einstein condensates, and for nonlinear optics.
Gauged said:In other words, the higher you go in the spectrum of wave length/frequency, the more light begins to look and act like a (mass less) particle, with "probability amplitudes," or quanta.
tabchouri said:I would have thought the contrary :
[tex]E=mc^2[/tex] (einstein)
[tex]E=h\nu[/tex] (Planck, where [tex]\nu[/tex] is the frequence of the wave)
thus, m = [tex]\frac{h\nu}{c²}[/tex].
so the higher you "go in the spectrum of wave length/frequency", the bigger the mass of the photon, and then the more it acts like a massy particle.
It shows that energy can interact with matter, and it shows that matter can store energy. But it does not show that energy is matter.Loren Booda said:Light affects matter, like sun rays evaporating water, therefore is physical.
It shows nothing of the sort. That's a rather fanciful interpretation.Loren Booda said:Einstein's famous equation, E=mc2, shows that (light) energy cannot exist without (matter) mass
castlegates said:Isn't an atomic bomb a pretty good indication that matter is made of light?
Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye. It is composed of tiny particles called photons.
No, light is not considered matter because it does not have mass or take up physical space. It is considered a form of energy.
The physical properties of light include wavelength, frequency, speed, and polarization. These properties determine how light behaves and interacts with matter.
Light travels in a straight line at a constant speed of 299,792,458 meters per second. It can travel through a vacuum, such as outer space, or through a medium, such as air or water.
Light is used in a variety of technologies, including communication, medicine, and energy production. Examples include fiber optics for internet and telephone communication, lasers for medical procedures, and solar panels for generating electricity.