*** 7. Equation 24.8 gives the momentum of a massless photon as p = E/c. As a result of the photon momenta, a beam of light falling on a surface exerts a force on the surface. Find the force that a 1-watt beam of 500-nm light exerts on a perfectly reflecting surface by the follow- ing procedure: a) Find the energy in joules of each photon in the beam and determine how many photons per second are required to produce the 1 watt of power. b) Find the momentum of each photon in kg- m/s and determine the impulse required to reflect each photon, so it bounces back in the direction it came. c) Find the total force exerted on the reflecting surface by the beam.

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*** 7. Equation 24.8 gives the momentum of a massless photon as p = E/c. As a result of the
photon momenta, a beam of light falling on a surface exerts a force on the surface. Find the
force that a 1-watt beam of 500-nm light exerts on a perfectly reflecting surface by the follow-
ing procedure:
a) Find the energy in joules of each photon in the beam and determine how many
photons per second are required to produce the 1 watt of power.
b) Find the momentum of each photon in kg- m/s and determine the impulse required
to reflect each photon, so it bounces back in the direction it came.
c) Find the total force exerted on the reflecting surface by the beam.
[Hint: You may want to review Section 8.1 on force and impulse and Section 14.1 on how to
average multiple tiny collisions to find a macroscopic force.]
Transcribed Image Text:*** 7. Equation 24.8 gives the momentum of a massless photon as p = E/c. As a result of the photon momenta, a beam of light falling on a surface exerts a force on the surface. Find the force that a 1-watt beam of 500-nm light exerts on a perfectly reflecting surface by the follow- ing procedure: a) Find the energy in joules of each photon in the beam and determine how many photons per second are required to produce the 1 watt of power. b) Find the momentum of each photon in kg- m/s and determine the impulse required to reflect each photon, so it bounces back in the direction it came. c) Find the total force exerted on the reflecting surface by the beam. [Hint: You may want to review Section 8.1 on force and impulse and Section 14.1 on how to average multiple tiny collisions to find a macroscopic force.]
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