Photons and Momentum – Rankers Physics
Topic: Modern Physics
Subtopic: Atomic Structure

Photons and Momentum

Assertion (A): Photons do not carry momentum
Reason (R): A photon is a material particle.
 
(1) Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
(2) Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
(3) (A) is true but (R) is false
(4) Both (A) and (R) are false

Solution:

Assertion (A) is false: Photons carry momentum \(p = E/c = h/\lambda\). Reason (R) is false: A photon is a quantum of light/energy, not a classical material particle. Both statements are false.

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