Particles/waves that self-propogate

1. Jul 1, 2010

zewpals

Are there self-propagating particles? Does a photon, for instance, self-propagate? If so, is it required that they travel the speed of light?

2. Jul 1, 2010

What does self-propagate mean? A particle in motion will remain in motion until a force acts upon it. Im not sure if that counts as self propagating.

3. Jul 1, 2010

zewpals

Wow, I cannot believe I completely ignored that law. Haha thanks. This thread is over now :D

4. Jul 2, 2010

mysearch

By way of a footnote: Does a photon self-propagate due to its momentum or as an E-B field interaction? If a photon is assumed to travel at [c], it has no rest mass $$[m_0=0]$$, so what are the implications of the following composite of Einstein’s and Planck’s equations?

$$E=mc^2=\sqrt{m_0^2c^4+\rho^2c^2} \Rightarrow \rho c = hf$$

If [h] and [c] are treated as constants, then momentum is directly proportional to frequency. Possibly the attached cartoon puts it all into perspective

File size:
49.4 KB
Views:
71
5. Jul 2, 2010

brainstorm

I thought that the particle-like behavior of light was that it transmits discrete amounts of energy, i.e. the amount of energy it carries is not continuously variable. I think the doppler effects light is susceptible to indicate that it behaves more like a wave than a particle of matter with constant momentum once in motion and unaffected by exogenous forces.