Photon Speed in a Wave: How Does It Work?

In summary, according to the conversation, light does not move in a wave. The vertical axis can be either the E-field or the B-field of light. They are orthorgonal to each other and to the direction of motion of light. So what is oscillating like a "sine" wave are these E and B fields.
  • #1
The_Original5
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I was in math class today as we were learning about sine waves and frequency, and i kinda related it to light. Then I started thinking about the speed of the photon in the wave, and if the photon moves in the wave at the speed of light at different frequency's then would one particle reach a certain point on the x-axis (lets say 5) first? Another way to put it, since the particle follows a path on a sine wave, if the frequency is increased then the particle should need to cover more distance on the wave then a particle in a lower frequency. So what i kind of concluded was that if the light particle moved at the same speed in different frequency's, then the particle with a lower frequency would reach (5,0) on a graph at a faster time then the particle with a higher frequency. Meaning if you had radio waves as a particle with low frequency and a UV wave as particle with high frequency then the waves would reach a certain point at different point in time. Then i kinda thought that was pretty crazy, light reaching points at different time, its light it should reach it at the same time, but it seems even more crazy if it reached it at the same time because on particle would go faster than the other, and that wouldn't make sense either. So I ask you forum How does a particle of light move in a wave.
 
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  • #2
Er.. photons do NOT move along a path of the sine wave!

The vertical axis can be either the E-field or the B-field of light. They are orthorgonal to each other and to the direction of motion of light. So what is oscillating like a "sine" wave are these E and B fields.

Zz.
 
  • #3
So light doesn't move in a waves?
 
  • #4
The_Original5 said:
So light doesn't move in a waves?

Nope! Light moves in "straight lines" per your optics classes. What is "waving" is a property that it carries, such as the E and B field.

Zz.
 
  • #5
very interesting thank you, and here i thought i was all cool thinking i found something really cool. haha thank you for responding tho.
 

1. What is a photon?

A photon is a fundamental particle that is the basic unit of light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. It has no mass and travels at the speed of light.

2. How does a photon move in a wave?

A photon moves in a wave-like manner, which means it oscillates back and forth as it travels. This is the result of the electric and magnetic fields of the photon interacting with each other.

3. What determines the speed of a photon in a wave?

The speed of a photon in a wave is determined by the medium through which it is traveling. In a vacuum, the speed of light is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second, but it can be slower in other materials.

4. How does the speed of a photon in a wave relate to its frequency and wavelength?

The speed of a photon in a wave is directly related to its frequency and wavelength. As the frequency increases, the wavelength decreases, and vice versa. This relationship can be described using the formula c = fλ, where c is the speed of light, f is the frequency, and λ is the wavelength.

5. Can the speed of a photon in a wave be changed?

The speed of a photon in a wave cannot be changed, as it is a fundamental property of light. However, the speed of light can be affected by the medium it travels through, such as air, water, or glass. This is why the speed of light can vary in different materials.

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