Photon Mass: h/(lamda*c) Explained

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rel
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Photon
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies the concept of photon mass, specifically addressing the equation m = h / (λ * c). It establishes that while photons possess energy related to their frequency, they do not have rest mass, as indicated by the equation (m₀c²)² = E² - (p c)². The conclusion emphasizes that photons travel at the speed of light, reinforcing that no massive particle can exceed this speed. This understanding is crucial for comprehending phenomena like pair production and annihilation.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of quantum mechanics principles
  • Familiarity with the energy-mass equivalence principle (E = mc²)
  • Knowledge of wave-particle duality
  • Basic grasp of momentum in physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the implications of energy-mass equivalence in particle physics
  • Explore the concept of pair production in quantum field theory
  • Learn about the role of momentum in relativistic physics
  • Investigate the properties of massless particles and their behavior
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, researchers in quantum mechanics, and anyone interested in the fundamental properties of light and energy conservation in particle interactions.

Rel
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hello

I red in web side " The photon has mass " Is that real ?


and what about


m = h / lamda * c
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hi, welcome to PF.

There is indeed a certain energy assigned to the photon, which is related to its frequency \omega = 2\pi\nu = 2\pi c / \lambda by
E = \hbar \omega = \frac{h}{2 \pi} \omega = \frac{h c}{\lambda}
When we invoke the famous E = mc^2, the equivalence between energy and mass, we can indeed think of this energy as representing a mass
m = \frac{E}{c^2} = \frac{h}{\lambda c}

The "rest" mass is usually defined by
(m_0c^2)^2 = E^2 - (\vec p c)^2
where p is the (three)-momentum. If we take this momentum to be \vec p^2 = m^2 \vec v^2 = (m c)^2 = (h / \lambda)^2[/tex] then this formula gives<br /> (m_0c^2)^2 = (h c / lambda)^2 - (h c / lambda)^2<br /> so m_0 = 0. It should, because no massive particle can travel faster than light. <br /> <br /> These considerations are important in processes such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pair_production" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="nofollow ugc noopener">pair production</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron-positron_annihilation" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="nofollow ugc noopener">annihilation</a>, where conservation of &#039;mass&#039; (= energy) must hold.
 
Thank you compuchip

You gived to me what I want
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
2K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
2K
  • · Replies 26 ·
Replies
26
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
  • · Replies 74 ·
3
Replies
74
Views
5K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
1K
  • · Replies 55 ·
2
Replies
55
Views
4K