- #1
ofeyrpf
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- Is it correct to say that as photons have no mass they are pure energy and have no mass equivalent according to E=mc^2?
- In a particle collision involving photons, conservation of momentum can not be used as photons are mass-less. Is that also correct?
- A proton in a linear accelerator can be accelerated through billions of volts. Then their kinetic energy qV must be 1.6x10-19 X 25x109= 4x10-9Joules, this then equals 1/2 mv2 so that v = sqrt(2x4x10-9/me) = sqrt(8x10-9/3.1x10-31)= 1.6x1011m/s
Clearly this is faster than the speed of light. I know the energy is converted to mass. But does the particle reach c and then the additional energy is converted to mass or does the mass increase as the particle nears the speed of light? If the latter is true it would never reach c.