Photons

row.xp

How can a photon have no mass but it can have momentum?

Reply 1

Kallisto

Entertainment Forum Helper, Life & Style Forum Helper

Original post by row.xp

How can a photon have no mass but it can have momentum?

It has no mass, but energy. As quantum it is able to move and to emit an amount of this energy to a particle. That is the process when a momentum comes into being.

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 2

Eimmanuel

Study Forum Helper

Original post by row.xp

How can a photon have no mass but it can have momentum?

It is a valid question but can be quite difficult to explain depending on how in-depth you want.

Below are 2 sources that you can read:

If Photons Have No Mass, How Can They Have Momentum?
https://profoundphysics.com/if-photons-have-no-mass-how-can-they-have-momentum/

If photons have no mass, how can they have momentum?
https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/2229/if-photons-have-no-mass-how-can-they-have-momentum

A "simple" way of seeing is based on de broglie particle-wave duality relationship at A level.

Reply 3

row.xp

Original post by Eimmanuel

It is a valid question but can be quite difficult to explain depending on how in-depth you want.
Below are 2 sources that you can read:
If Photons Have No Mass, How Can They Have Momentum?
https://profoundphysics.com/if-photons-have-no-mass-how-can-they-have-momentum/
If photons have no mass, how can they have momentum?
https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/2229/if-photons-have-no-mass-how-can-they-have-momentum
A "simple" way of seeing is based on de broglie particle-wave duality relationship at A level.