Photon Mass: h/(lamda*c) Explained

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In summary, the conversation discusses the relationship between mass and energy for photons. The equation E=mc^2 is applied to photons, showing that they have a certain energy that can be thought of as representing a mass. The "rest" mass of a photon is defined and shown to be equal to 0, as photons cannot travel faster than the speed of light. These concepts are important in processes such as pair production and annihilation.
  • #1
Rel
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Hello

I red in web side " The photon has mass " Is that real ?


and what about


m = h / lamda * c
 
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  • #2
Hi, welcome to PF.

There is indeed a certain energy assigned to the photon, which is related to its frequency [itex]\omega = 2\pi\nu = 2\pi c / \lambda[/itex] by
[tex]E = \hbar \omega = \frac{h}{2 \pi} \omega = \frac{h c}{\lambda}[/tex]
When we invoke the famous [itex]E = mc^2[/itex], the equivalence between energy and mass, we can indeed think of this energy as representing a mass
[tex]m = \frac{E}{c^2} = \frac{h}{\lambda c}[/tex]

The "rest" mass is usually defined by
[tex](m_0c^2)^2 = E^2 - (\vec p c)^2 [/tex]
where p is the (three)-momentum. If we take this momentum to be [itex]\vec p^2 = m^2 \vec v^2 = (m c)^2 = (h / \lambda)^2[/tex] then this formula gives
[tex](m_0c^2)^2 = (h c / lambda)^2 - (h c / lambda)^2[/tex]
so [itex]m_0 = 0[/itex]. It should, because no massive particle can travel faster than light.

These considerations are important in processes such as pair production and annihilation, where conservation of 'mass' (= energy) must hold.
 
  • #3
Thank you compuchip

You gived to me what I want
 

1. What is photon mass?

Photon mass refers to the theoretical mass of a photon, which is a type of elementary particle that makes up light. It is usually denoted by the symbol “m” and is measured in units of energy divided by the speed of light squared (E/c^2).

2. How is photon mass calculated?

The formula for calculating photon mass is h/(lambda*c), where h is the Planck constant, lambda is the wavelength of the photon, and c is the speed of light. This formula is derived from Einstein’s famous equation E=mc^2, where E is energy and m is mass. By rearranging the equation, we can solve for the mass of a photon.

3. Is photon mass a constant value?

No, photon mass is not a constant value. According to Einstein’s theory of relativity, the mass of a particle is not a fixed quantity, but rather depends on its speed. Since photons travel at the speed of light, their mass is constantly changing and can be considered negligible in most cases.

4. What is the significance of the photon mass equation?

The photon mass equation, h/(lambda*c), is significant in understanding the fundamental properties of light and its behavior. It allows us to calculate the mass of a photon and shows the relationship between energy, mass, and the speed of light. It also helps to explain phenomena such as the photoelectric effect and the creation of matter and antimatter pairs.

5. Can photon mass be measured?

No, photon mass cannot be directly measured as it is considered to be negligible. However, scientists can indirectly measure the effects of photon mass through experiments and observations, such as the bending of light in a gravitational field. These measurements help to confirm the validity of the concept of photon mass.

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