Can You See a Photon Beam Between Two Reflective Surfaces?

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the visibility of a photon beam positioned between two 100% efficient reflective surfaces. It concludes definitively that if photons are placed at a 90° angle of incidence, the beam will remain stable as long as there is no interaction. However, it is established that one would not be able to see the beam if it is perpendicular to the reflective surfaces and traveling solely on the sagittal plane, as the light would not interact with the observer's line of sight.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of photon behavior and light reflection
  • Knowledge of optical physics principles
  • Familiarity with the concept of angle of incidence
  • Basic grasp of visibility and light interaction
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of light reflection and refraction
  • Study the behavior of photons in different mediums
  • Explore the concept of visibility in optical physics
  • Learn about the sagittal plane in relation to light paths
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, optical engineers, and students studying light behavior and reflection principles will benefit from this discussion.

Raiden60
Messages
8
Reaction score
2
Let's say you have 2 100% efficient reflective surfaces exactly parallel to each other. If you theoretically managed to place photons at exactly 90° angle of incidence. So this beam of visible light (and I want to stress that) is going to stay there as long as there is no interaction, the beam will stay there, right? What I want to know is if you could see this beam. If it exactly perpendicular to the reflective surfaces, and the light is only traveling on the sagittal plane relative to you, would you even be able to see it? Or could you see right through it?
 
Science news on Phys.org
Raiden60 said:
would you even be able to see it?
No.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Light Reflection: Understand How Light Interacts with Materials
  • · Replies 26 ·
Replies
26
Views
6K
Undergrad Fabry-Perot Interferometer mirrors
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
5K
Graduate Understanding Reflectance with Fresnel Equation for Non-Polarized Light
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Graduate Avalanche photon detectors
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
754
Graduate Photon Bouncing during APD Dead Time in Autocorrelation Measurement
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
High School Why Don’t Photons Get Trapped Forever Between Two Mirrors?
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
6K
Graduate 3 Thought Experiments on Light: No Photons or Waves
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Question about reflectivity and maximization of energy reflected
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Photon-Foil FTL Drive theory
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
1K
High School Reflection of light from the mirror
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K