Do Photons Have Mass? Explained for the Noob

In summary, photons do not have mass, energy can be converted to mass and vice versa, and antimatter is a type of matter with equal but opposite properties to normal matter.
  • #1
chound
164
0
Do photons have mass or are they only energy?
And is it possible to convert energy to mass like mass is converted into energy in a nuclear reaction?
I read in Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons" that CERN has cre8d antimatter, but what exactly is it? Please answer in terms that a noob can understand!
 
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  • #2
Please go to the Special and General Relativity forum and do a search on your topic. This has been addressed and answered numerous times.

Zz.
 
  • #3
cre8d?...
 
  • #4
chound said:
Do photons have mass or are they only energy?
And is it possible to convert energy to mass like mass is converted into energy in a nuclear reaction?
I read in Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons" that CERN has cre8d antimatter, but what exactly is it? Please answer in terms that a noob can understand!

energy is converted to mass and the other way around via E=mc^2
antimatter is exactly like matter in every respect but if antimatter and matter meet they will annilate and release gamma ray photons
 
  • #5
simon009988 said:
energy is converted to mass and the other way around via E=mc^2
antimatter is exactly like matter in every respect but if antimatter and matter meet they will annilate and release gamma ray photons
Antimatter particles have opposite charges, but equal masses as their normal-matter counter-parts. The two particles will only annihilate though, if their quantum numbers are equal.
 

1. Do photons have mass?

No, photons do not have mass. They are considered to be massless particles according to the Standard Model of particle physics.

2. How can photons have energy without having mass?

Photons exhibit wave-like behavior, and therefore have energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation. This energy is not dependent on mass, but rather on the frequency and wavelength of the photon.

3. Can photons be affected by gravity if they have no mass?

Yes, although photons do not have mass, they are still affected by gravity. This is due to their energy and momentum, which can be affected by the curvature of spacetime caused by massive objects.

4. Why do some sources say photons have relativistic mass?

Some older sources may refer to the concept of relativistic mass, which takes into account the energy of a particle in addition to its rest mass. However, this concept is no longer widely accepted and has been replaced by the concept of rest mass, which is independent of the particle's energy.

5. How is the masslessness of photons proven?

The masslessness of photons has been proven through various experiments, including the observation of their constant speed in a vacuum, their ability to travel vast distances without losing energy, and their interaction with other particles like electrons and protons. Additionally, the theory of relativity and the Standard Model of particle physics also support the masslessness of photons.

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