NEET Physics Question - Modern Physics - Photoelectric Effects and deBroglie Equation

Assertion (A): The relative velocity of two photons travelling in opposite directions is \(c\).

Reason (R): The rest mass of a photon is zero.

Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)

Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)

(A) is true but (R) is false

Both (A) and (R) are false

Solution:

Concept: Special Relativity, velocity addition formula.
Formula: Relativistic velocity addition \(v_{\text{rel}} = \frac{v_1 - v_2}{1 - \frac{v_1 v_2}{c^2}}\) where \(v_1, v_2\) are velocities of two objects.
Solution: For two photons moving in opposite directions (\(v_1 = c, v_2 = -c\)), the relativistic velocity addition formula gives \(v_{\text{rel}} = \frac{c - (-c)}{1 - \frac{c(-c)}{c^2}} = \frac{2c}{1+1} = c\). So (A) is true. The rest mass of a photon is zero, which is the reason why photons always travel at the speed of light \(c\) in all inertial frames, forming the foundation of special relativity. Thus, (R) explains the relativistic behavior described in (A).

Rankers Physics

Relativistic Velocity of Photons

Solution:

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