Energy and Momentum of a Photon
 

Energy and Momentum of a Photon problem 27


    • Show that the momentum of a photon of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength is given by




      where is the Planck constant.


    • Use the expression in (a)(i) to show that a photon in free space that has a momentum of is a photon of red light.


  • A beam of red light of intensity is incident normally on a plane mirror, as shown in the figure below. The momentum of each photon in the beam is .




    All of the light is reflected by the mirror in the opposite direction to its original path. The cross-sectional area of the beam is .


    • Show that the number of photons incident on the mirror per unit time is .


    • Use the information in (b)(i) to determine the pressure exerted by the light beam on the mirror.


 

main author and content editor: Ebenezer Famadewa