Can you change the wavelength of light without disorting its path?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the possibility of changing the wavelength of a photon, specifically from a visible wavelength (450nm) to a radio wave, without altering its path. Participants explore theoretical and practical implications, including relativistic effects and potential methods for achieving such a transformation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that changing a photon’s wavelength to a radio wave without altering its path is not feasible, asserting that a photon remains a photon regardless of perceived wavelength changes due to relative motion.
  • Another participant proposes that the wavelength can be increased through the Doppler effect by using moving mirrors, claiming that if the mirrors are parallel, the direction and polarization of the photon would remain unaffected.
  • A different viewpoint emphasizes that the stretching of a photon’s wavelength can occur under specific conditions, such as relative motion between the source and observer or gravitational effects, but acknowledges that bouncing off mirrors may alter the direction.
  • One participant expresses uncertainty about the implications of replacing photons and questions whether there exists a material that could change the wavelength of photons without altering their direction, indicating a desire for a simpler method.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the feasibility of changing a photon’s wavelength without altering its path. Multiple competing views are presented, with some arguing against the possibility while others suggest methods that may achieve this under certain conditions.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty regarding the implications of their statements, particularly concerning the nature of photons and the effects of relative motion and gravitational fields on wavelength perception. The discussion reflects a range of assumptions about the behavior of light and the conditions necessary for wavelength alteration.

Jarfi
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If I had a photon with 450nm wavelength, purple. Could I change it to become a radio wave? without it going in another direction or anything.
 
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One of the best ways to do it is to wait for few billions of years. Cosmic microwave background is a visible light emitted long time ago, whose wavelengths got dramatically enlarged by the expansion of Universe.

You may make it in a shorter time using moving mirrors. Bounce your photon from them, Doppler effect would enlarge its wavelength. If both mirrors are parallel, then after even number of bounces the direction, polarisation, etc won't be affected.

BTW: there is no such thing as 'photon path'...
 
I believe the answer is, no. A photon is a photon, and what you perceive as it's wavelength depends on the relative velocities of you vs. what emitted it. Over cosmological time and distance scales, I'm no longer certain what exactly that statement means, but otherwise it's straightforward. But it's still the same photon - you can replace it with other photons in various ways, and seemingly "change" it, but you've really just replaced it.
 
The photon will be stretched if...
-It's source is moving away from you when the photon is emitted
-You are moving away form the source as you receive the photon
-the photon is moving upward through a gravitational field
-The photon is bounced off of a mirror which is moving in the same direction as the photon, I know you said you didn't want to change the direction of the photon but bouncing it off of a second mirror could put it back on its original path.
 
JeffKoch said:
I believe the answer is, no. A photon is a photon, and what you perceive as it's wavelength depends on the relative velocities of you vs. what emitted it. Over cosmological time and distance scales, I'm no longer certain what exactly that statement means, but otherwise it's straightforward. But it's still the same photon - you can replace it with other photons in various ways, and seemingly "change" it, but you've really just replaced it.

Ok what do you mean by replace? is there no kind of matter that makes photons chenge their wavelength and doesn't really change theyr direction, I know matter can sort out different wavelengths of photons, but there must be a way to make matter where 500nm wavelength hits one side and the other side we get a 1 meter wavelength radio wave. To replace the photon is ok. But now we must be in somekind of electric devices and things are getting complicated. But is there a simple way of doing this?
 

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