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Karnataka Board PUCPUC Science Class 11

Can We Find the Mass of a Photon by the Definition P = Mv?

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Question

Can we find the mass of a photon by the definition p = mv?

Short/Brief Note
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Solution

No, we cannot find the mass of a photon by the definition p = mv. The equation p = mv is valid only for objects that move with a velocity that is much slower than the speed of light. The momentum of a relativistic particle like photon is given by  `pc = sqrt(E^2 - m^2c^4)`. A photon has zero rest mass. Therefore, on putting m = 0 in the equation, we get `p = E/c` , which is the valid equation for a photon.

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Chapter 42: Photoelectric Effect and Wave-Particle Duality - Short Answers [Page 363]

APPEARS IN

HC Verma Concepts of Physics Volume 1 and 2 [English]
Chapter 42 Photoelectric Effect and Wave-Particle Duality
Short Answers | Q 1 | Page 363

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