Proving Isolated Photon Doesn't Split into Two Photons

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion centers around the question of whether an isolated photon can split into two photons that travel in different directions. The original poster presents a reasoning based on the properties of massless photons and conservation laws.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to use momentum conservation to argue against the possibility of a photon splitting into two. Other participants introduce equations related to conservation of energy and momentum, questioning the definitions of the variables involved.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring the implications of conservation laws and the definitions of physical quantities. Some guidance has been offered regarding the equations relevant to the problem, but no consensus has been reached on the interpretation of these equations.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working within the framework of photon properties and conservation laws, with some assumptions about the nature of mass and energy in the context of photons being questioned.

Xamfy19
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Here is the question I had trouble with it:

How to prove that an isolated photon cannot split into two photons going in direction other than the original direction.

I thought photon doesn't have mass, then

energy = momentum.
from momentum conservation law. If photon split into two part and travel in different direction, then it must have different mass (or at opposite direction).

That's all I have for the time being.
Thanks for the help.
 
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p^{\mu}=p_{1}^{\mu}+p_{2}^{\mu} (1)

Workin' in Heaviside-Lorentz units,

\omega=\omega_{1}+\omega_{2} (2)

\vec{p}=\vec{p}_{1}+\vec{p}_{2} (3)

Square (2) & (3) and use \omega=|\vec{p}| (which is valid for all 3 photons).

Denote the angle between the momenta of outgoing photons by \theta

Daniel.
 
Great, but what are the p^u, w and p?

I guess
w = w1 + w2 is the energy conservation
p = p1 + p2 is the momentum conservation, and what is

the first equation ?

thanks
 
Conservation of 4-momentum,what else...?That's where the other 2 eqns come from.

Daniel.
 
thanks, Daniel
 

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