🔋college physics i – introduction review

key term - Photon momentum

Definition

Photon momentum is the momentum carried by a photon, despite it having no mass. It is given by $p = \frac{h}{\lambda}$, where $p$ is the momentum, $h$ is Planck's constant, and $\lambda$ is the wavelength of the photon.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Photon momentum is derived from the Planck-Einstein relation and De Broglie's hypothesis.
  2. The formula for photon momentum is $p = \frac{E}{c}$, where $E$ is the energy of the photon and $c$ is the speed of light.
  3. Photon momentum plays a crucial role in phenomena like radiation pressure and Compton scattering.
  4. Even though photons are massless, they can exert force due to their momentum.
  5. Photon momentum confirms that light has both wave-like and particle-like properties.

Review Questions

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