- #1
SergioPL
- 58
- 3
Electromagnetic radiated fields have both E and H fields perpendicular to the wave vector k. Therefore in photons the electric and magnetic fields are also perpendicular to k.
This means that when photons are absorbed by some electron, the Lorenz Force will be mostly perpendicular to the wave vector k (the speed of electrons uses to be much lesser than the speed of light so the electric field causes much more force than magnetic field).
However, the photon carries an inertial momentum P = (h•f)/c in the direction k and in photoelectric effect, the incident photon is absorbed by an electron and no other photon is generated.
So if the force caused by the photon on the electron is mainly perpendicular to k, how is possible to keep the inertial momentum of the system?
This means that when photons are absorbed by some electron, the Lorenz Force will be mostly perpendicular to the wave vector k (the speed of electrons uses to be much lesser than the speed of light so the electric field causes much more force than magnetic field).
However, the photon carries an inertial momentum P = (h•f)/c in the direction k and in photoelectric effect, the incident photon is absorbed by an electron and no other photon is generated.
So if the force caused by the photon on the electron is mainly perpendicular to k, how is possible to keep the inertial momentum of the system?