4 ms·
Momentum has velocity, but the velocity of light is the same in all reference frames. It seems like there is a conflict between conservation of momentum and sp
by snarfy 11y ago
Momentum has velocity, but the velocity of light is the same in all reference frames. It seems like there is a conflict between conservation of momentum and special relativity. From the point of view of the light beam, nothing is moving.
- mercutio2 11y agoThe speed of light in a vacuum is constant in all reference frames, but a photon's frequency is not constant in all reference frames, so it's momentum (hf/c) is not constant. This is bog-standard special relativity.
- snarfy 11y agoAh, this makes sense.
- nerd_stuff 11y agoMomentum and Special Relativity don't conflict. Momentum is modified with a Lorentz Factor which for a particle with mass runs to infinity as the speed approaches the speed of light. For electromagnetic radiation like light the momentum is a function of the energy, not the velocity.