The conservation of light's energy, mass, and momentum

Juliana H. J. Mortenson

doi:10.1117/12.893531

28 September 2011 The conservation of light's energy, mass, and momentum

Juliana H. J. Mortenson

Proceedings Volume 8121, The Nature of Light: What are Photons? IV; 81210Y (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.893531
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2011, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

An advance in the foundations of quantum mechanics was presented at the previous "Nature of Light" meeting which brings new insights to the conservation of light's energy, mass and momentum. Those discoveries suggest that the "photon" is a time-based collection of sub-photonic elementary light particles. Incorporation of this new understanding into quantum mechanics has allowed the determination of universal constants for the energy, mass, and momentum of light. The energy constant for light is 6.626 X 10^-34 J/osc, meaning the energy of a single oscillation of light is constant irrespective of the light's frequency or wavelength. Likewise, the mass and momentum of a single oscillation of light are constant, regardless of changes to either time or space. A realistic understanding of the conservation of energy, mass and momentum for both matter and light in a single conservation law is now possible. When a body with mass absorbs or emits light, its energy, mass and momentum change in quantized amounts according to the relationship: Δ E = Nh^~ = Nm₀c² = Nρ₀c where "N" is the number of oscillations absorbed absorbed or emitted by the body and h^~, m₀, and ρ₀ are the constant energy, mass and momentum of an oscillation. Implications extend from general relativity and gravity to space sails and light driven nanomotors.

Citation Download Citation

Juliana H. J. Mortenson "The conservation of light's energy, mass, and momentum", Proc. SPIE 8121, The Nature of Light: What are Photons? IV, 81210Y (28 September 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.893531

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