Doppler Effect and Harmful Radiation

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the Doppler Effect and its implications for photon energy transformation. Specifically, it addresses the conditions under which a visual wavelength photon can be blue-shifted into harmful ultraviolet (UV) or X-ray radiation. The relativistic Doppler formula is utilized to calculate the necessary speed, revealing that a speed ratio (beta) of approximately 0.999996 is required to achieve a 500-fold increase in photon energy, transitioning from ordinary sunlight (2 eV) to X-ray levels (1000 eV). This indicates that traveling at such speeds could indeed render photons harmful long before reaching the X-ray threshold.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Doppler Effect in physics
  • Familiarity with relativistic physics concepts
  • Knowledge of photon energy levels (eV) and their implications
  • Basic mathematical skills for solving equations
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the relativistic Doppler effect in detail
  • Learn about photon energy calculations and their significance
  • Explore the implications of high-speed travel on radiation exposure
  • Investigate the effects of UV and X-ray radiation on biological systems
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, astrophysicists, and anyone interested in the effects of high-speed travel on photon energy and radiation safety.

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Hey!

If one travels fast enough against it, will a regular photon of visual wavelength become harmful due to the doppler effect?
 
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hmm, interesting.

wonder how fast you'd have to go to blue-shift a light photon into a UV or x-ray photon. should be simple enough to calculate. The answer should tell you if it's possible or not.
 
orange said:
Hey!

If one travels fast enough against it, will a regular photon of visual wavelength become harmful due to the doppler effect?

yes
ordinary sunlight is around 2 eevee and Xray is around 1000 eevee.

so you just need a speed beta which makes the doppler ratio be around 500. Here is the relativistic doppler formula, squared both sides to make it easier to write.

250000 = (1+beta)/(1-beta)

if you solve this for beta you get
beta = 249999/250001

so that is what fraction of the speed of light you would have to go
in order to boost the photon energy by a factor of 500

but well before that it would be harmful
 
Last edited:

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