[General] light and particles group

[Dr Grahame Blackwell]

Hi Chip,

Thanks for that.
Unfortunately Adobe Acrobat tells me that the file is damaged & can't be repaired, so can't be opened.
You might like to send it again, thanks.

>From my perspective the reason that light carries momentum is pretty straightforward:
Light is energy on the move; if and when it's absorbed by matter, it will become part of the mass of that matter, and so will add to the momentum of that element of matter; when it's emitted from matter it carries away part of the mass of that matter, and so also part of its momentum.  If light didn't carry momentum then a particle emitting light would necessarily move faster in that same direction (conservation of momentum); likewise a particle absorbing light would experience an acceleration towards the direction of approach of that light (conservation of momentum).  Neither of these would seem to make sense or have any reasonable explanation.

In fact the phenomena of both inertial and gravitational mass are fully explainable in terms of the consequences of electromagnetic waveform energy describing cyclic paths as particles of matter.  A full analysis shows that part of that energy leaving at the speed of light would necessarily alter the inertial-mass response of such a particle, and so its momentum; likewise additional energy being added to a particle of matter, again at the speed of light, would likewise alter the inertial-mass response of that particle, and so also its momentum.  Both of these changes fully support the notion that the photon is transferring not only mass (as Einstein observed) but also momentum between emitting and absorbing particles, in precise agreement with the principle of conservation of momentum.  Put simply, light HAS to carry momentum for the universe to carry on working; if it didn't we wouldn't be here talking about it.

More than this, a partial transfer of energy from photon to particle - including scattering in any direction, Compton-style, also fully fits the principle of conservation of momentum.

In other words, light carries momentum because it carries energy - and at its root momentum IS an energy-based phenomenon.

Best regards,
Grahame


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Chip Akins 
  To: 'Nature of Light and Particles - General Discussion' 
  Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2017 10:36 PM
  Subject: Re: [General] light and particles group


  Hi All

   

  I have been thinking about why it is that light carries momentum, and searching for an explanation.

   

  Attached is a little bit of the research.

   

  Thoughts and comments appreciated.

   

  Chip

   

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