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utsav55
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Homework Statement
Can a Photon be deflected by Magnetic Field and Electric Field?
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
Photon cannot be deflected by either, as it has no electric charge.
Zhivago said:Correct, the photon has no charge or mass (although it has a spin!), so it can't be deflected. The photon itself is the propagation of a sinusoidal magnetic and electric field.
chrispb said:This question amounts to whether photon-photon scattering can occur, I think. I'm no expert, but I see no reason why the answer should not include this graph: http://colinfahey.com/eclectic_images_2002/gg-scat.jpg
Obviously, there's no tree level diagram cause there's no A^4 in the QED lagrangian, but I can't see why the above diagram wouldn't be allowed.
Yes, a photon can be deflected by a magnetic field. This is known as the Faraday effect, where the magnetic field causes the photon's electric field to oscillate, resulting in a change in direction.
Yes, a photon can also be deflected by an electric field. This is known as the Stark effect, where the electric field interacts with the photon's electric charge, causing a change in direction.
Magnetic and electric fields interact with photons through the electromagnetic force. This force is responsible for the movement and behavior of charged particles, including photons.
The main difference is that a photon's deflection in a magnetic field is due to its electric field oscillating, while in an electric field, it is due to the interaction between the photon's electric charge and the field. Additionally, the strength and direction of the deflection may vary depending on the strength and orientation of the field.
Yes, a photon can be deflected by both a magnetic and electric field simultaneously. This is known as the Zeeman effect, where both fields interact with the photon at the same time, resulting in a more complex deflection pattern.