Undergrad Is the mass of a photon stationary in space?

[azcowboy702]

I was reading a recent physics article on the google home page that stated that the current theory of mass is that it is a photon moving at light speed but stationary in space. My analogy of this was like a photon moving in a circle but it is not moving. I wish I could sight the article but can't. Do you know if this is true? This would then explain the energy mass equivalency of E=mC^2 or m=E/C^2. if you know of any articles written about this could you please put a link to them in the answer. thanks.

 

[PeterDonis]

I was reading a recent physics article on the google home page

Please give a specific reference. We can't discuss something we can't even read.

the current theory of mass is that it is a photon moving at light speed but stationary in space.

This looks like nonsense.

 

[topsquark]

I was reading a recent physics article on the google home page...

I'd be more than a bit wary, considering the source!

Also: The general relationship is
$E^2 = (mc^2)^2 + (pc)^2$

Since a photon carries momentum you couldn't make the correct mass equivalence, even if it applied, which it doesn't. For a photon, m = 0, leading to E = pc.

-Dan

 

[ohwilleke]

I was reading a recent physics article on the google home page that stated that the current theory of mass is that it is a photon moving at light speed but stationary in space. My analogy of this was like a photon moving in a circle but it is not moving. I wish I could sight the article but can't. Do you know if this is true? This would then explain the energy mass equivalency of E=mC^2 or m=E/C^2. if you know of any articles written about this could you please put a link to them in the answer. thanks.

Photons can't be stationary in space.

 

[jedishrfu]

There was a GR idea years ago by Wheeler called a Geon which could be light traveling in a circle Held together by its own gravitational field energy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geon_(physics)

 

[PeterDonis]

There was a GR idea years ago by Wheeler called a Geon which could be light traveling in a circle Held together by its own gravitational field energy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geon_(physics)

Either light or gravitational radiation.