- #1
indigojoker
- 240
- 0
i have just a question that came to my mind. do photons have to accelerate to the speed of light every time a light bulb is turned on?
Do photons have to accelerate to the speed of light
- Thread starter indigojoker
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Homework Help Overview
The discussion revolves around the nature of photons and their behavior when light is emitted, particularly whether they must accelerate to reach the speed of light. The subject area includes concepts from both relativity and quantum physics.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking
Approaches and Questions Raised
- Participants explore the initial speed of photons, the implications of their rest mass being zero, and the concept of instantaneous acceleration to the speed of light. Questions arise about the nature of photon production in relation to light bulbs and whether photons are created at the speed of light.
Discussion Status
Participants are engaging in a thoughtful exploration of the topic, with some suggesting that photons do not accelerate to the speed of light but are produced at that speed. There is a mix of understanding and uncertainty regarding the underlying physics, with no clear consensus reached.
Contextual Notes
Some participants express limitations in their knowledge of relativity and quantum physics, indicating that further study may be necessary for a deeper understanding of the concepts discussed.
- #2
saket
- 168
- 0
good question! 
well.. answer these, and i hope your doubt will be cleared.
1. when you say, "do photons have to accelerate to the speed of light", what are you assuming the initial speed of the photon?
2. do u know that rest mass of a photon is zero?
3. try to calculate, if you know relevant formula, mass of a photon at any speed other than the speed of light.. and you will surely get the answer.
indigojoker said:
well.. answer these, and i hope your doubt will be cleared.
1. when you say, "do photons have to accelerate to the speed of light", what are you assuming the initial speed of the photon?
2. do u know that rest mass of a photon is zero?
3. try to calculate, if you know relevant formula, mass of a photon at any speed other than the speed of light.. and you will surely get the answer.
- #3
indigojoker
- 240
- 0
1. i don't know the initial speed of the photon, that is part of my question
2. yes
3. photons always has to travel a the speed of light due to special reletivity
basically, how do photons accelerate instantaneously to the speed of light? as in, you are in a dark room... thus no photos (in the visible spectrum). Then you turn on the light... electricity excites the filaments in a bulb and photons are produces, are you saying they are produced at the speed of light?
2. yes
3. photons always has to travel a the speed of light due to special reletivity
basically, how do photons accelerate instantaneously to the speed of light? as in, you are in a dark room... thus no photos (in the visible spectrum). Then you turn on the light... electricity excites the filaments in a bulb and photons are produces, are you saying they are produced at the speed of light?
- #4
saket
- 168
- 0
well... i am a student only, and i haven't done a full-fledged course on relativity and/or quantum physics. i think, if u want to discuss it thoroughly, u shud check in higher levels.. this introductory physics won't help u.
still.. what i think is.. consider here the wave nature of the photon.. it will move with the same speed as soon as it is created! (like sound waves emanating from any source: they move with a constant wave speed, they do not accelerate to that speed.)
and, look at the third part of ur answer.. photons always have to travel at the speed of light! so where comes the question of, "accelerating".
still.. what i think is.. consider here the wave nature of the photon.. it will move with the same speed as soon as it is created! (like sound waves emanating from any source: they move with a constant wave speed, they do not accelerate to that speed.)
and, look at the third part of ur answer.. photons always have to travel at the speed of light! so where comes the question of, "accelerating".
- #5
indigojoker
- 240
- 0
well, how did they originally get to the speed of light if they did not accelerate to it? or maybe it's instantaneous acceleration... maybe i shouldn't post this in the HW section since this was just a thought...
- #6
saket
- 168
- 0
think: what was being accelerated? (if u even think that there was an instantaneous acceleration!)
There can be no photon below the speed of light! It's created with the speed of light only.
There can be no photon below the speed of light! It's created with the speed of light only.
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