intervoxel said:A photon's momentum vector points in the direction of its propagation but interacts with particles off its axis.
O.k., so this is not the case since the direction is defined at the moment of the interaction with the target (or if the recoiled source hits something) and the consequent simultenous definition of the recoil direction of the source by entaglement, right? My question remains though: how reflection is possible or how hits on one side of the mirror are privileged?bhobba said:Why do you say that?
Thanks
Bill
intervoxel said:O.k., so this is not the case since the direction is defined at the moment of the interaction with the target (or if the recoiled source hits something)
See Feynman - QED Strange Theory Of Light And Matter.intervoxel said:My question remains though: how reflection is possible or how hits on one side of the mirror are privileged?
So you mean that, when observed, the received photon's momentum does not necessarily has to be aligned with the photon's origin position? It could be pointing for example at an angle of 90 degrees?bhobba said:Why do you think you can extrapolate a direction from where it hits a target - think about the double slit - with both slits open you can't say which slit it went through or what direction it had - indeed even if it had the property of direction.
Why do you think a photon has the classical property of 'propagation'?
In QM its much better not to ascribe properties like propagation etc except when observed.
Thanks
Bill
Did you follow through on Bhobba's suggestion that you find and read Feynman's book? If not, do so.intervoxel said:So you mean that, when observed, the received photon's momentum does not necessarily has to be aligned with the photon's origin position? It could be pointing for example at an angle of 90 degrees?
intervoxel said:So you mean that, when observed, the received photon's momentum does not necessarily has to be aligned with the photon's origin position? It could be pointing for example at an angle of 90 degrees?
naima said:I think that his question is about the conservation of the momentum.
A single photon is the smallest unit of light, which can also be thought of as a particle. It is the fundamental unit of electromagnetic radiation and carries both energy and momentum.
The directionality of a single photon depends on its source and the environment it is traveling through. In a vacuum, a single photon will travel in a straight line and maintain its direction. However, in a medium such as air or water, photons can be scattered and may change direction as they interact with particles in the medium.
No, a single photon can only travel in one direction at a time. However, it is possible for a single photon to be split into two or more photons through a process called spontaneous parametric down-conversion.
The direction of a single photon can be measured using various techniques, such as interference patterns, diffraction, and imaging. These methods rely on the principles of wave-particle duality, where a photon behaves as both a wave and a particle.
The direction of a single photon can affect its behavior in various ways, such as determining its path through a medium or its interactions with other particles. The direction can also impact its ability to be detected and measured, as some detectors are more sensitive to certain directions of incoming photons.