I don't know what an air molecule is, so I will assume you are considering nitrogen and oxygen. Visible light is not absorbed by air, so the answer is definitely no. Ro-vibrational transitions in N2 and O2 are also forbidden, so even IR will not get significantly absorbed. Since they have no permanent dipole moment, air is also pretty much transparent to microwave radiation also. You would need to induce electronic transitions (in the UV) to get those molecules to rotate.Pet Scan said:Does a circularly polarized laser beam, (say, 1 watt or so at visible wavelengths), impart linear or rotational momentum to air molecules.??
DrClaude said:I don't know what an air molecule is, so I will assume you are considering nitrogen and oxygen. Visible light is not absorbed by air, so the answer is definitely no. Ro-vibrational transitions in N2 and O2 are also forbidden, so even IR will not get significantly absorbed. Since they have no permanent dipole moment, air is also pretty much transparent to microwave radiation also. You would need to induce electronic transitions (in the UV) to get those molecules to rotate.
A circularly polarized laser is a type of laser beam that has an electric field that rotates in a circular motion. This means that the electric field of the laser beam is constantly changing direction as it propagates through space.
A linearly polarized laser has an electric field that oscillates in a single direction, whereas a circularly polarized laser has an electric field that rotates in a circular motion. This results in different properties and effects of the two types of lasers.
Yes, a circularly polarized laser can impart momentum to air. The circular motion of the electric field of the laser beam causes the air molecules to be pushed in a circular motion as well, resulting in a transfer of momentum.
A circularly polarized laser imparts momentum to air through the conservation of momentum principle. As the laser beam transfers momentum to the air molecules, the laser beam itself experiences an equal and opposite force, resulting in the transfer of momentum.
The potential applications of using a circularly polarized laser to impart momentum to air include laser propulsion, optical tweezers for manipulating small particles, and laser cooling and trapping of atoms. It can also be used in atmospheric studies, such as measuring wind speed and direction.