Confused About Light & Mass: Get Help Here!

In summary, if you are looking for resources on light and mass, books about special relativity would be helpful. To calculate the energy of a photon, use the formula E=hf, where h is Planck's constant and f is the frequency of the photon. However, the scenario of a sombrero transforming into a light particle is not physically possible as it would violate the conservation of energy and momentum.
  • #1
Dgonzo15
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I just got unit work of light and mass, and know NOTHING about it, and the site has no resource links. Can someone please tell me a general idea of what there is to know about light and mass, formulas, or any resources I can use?

Also, how would you calculate the 'energy' of a photon, such as in the question "A sombrero spontaneously transforms into a light particle. What would be its energy?" ?
 
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  • #2
Books about special relativity should help.

"A sombrero spontaneously transforms into a light particle. What would be its energy?"
It cannot, this would violate energy or momentum conservation. If it transforms into multiple light particles, total energy is conserved. You can calculate the total energy of the sombrero (in its rest frame) with the famous formula E=mc2.
 

1. What is light?

Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye. It is made up of particles called photons that have both wave-like and particle-like properties.

2. How is light measured?

Light is measured in units of energy per unit time, such as watts or lumens. It can also be measured in terms of its wavelength or frequency, which determines its color and properties.

3. What is mass?

Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object. It is a fundamental property of matter and is typically measured in units of kilograms (kg).

4. How does mass affect light?

Mass does not directly affect light, as light does not have mass. However, mass can affect the behavior of light when it interacts with matter, such as causing refraction or absorption.

5. How are light and mass related?

Light and mass are not directly related, as light is a form of energy and mass is a property of matter. However, the theory of relativity states that mass and energy are interchangeable, and light can be converted into matter (and vice versa) under certain conditions.

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