Monday, 15 June 2015

collision - What happens when two photons collide with one another, head on, dead center?



If two photons were to collide directly, head on, and are of the same energy, what happens? Are new particles created, is energy released? Or do they just pass through one another?



Answer



Photons don't directly interact with each other, but if one photon pair produced an e+/e- then the second photon could interact with that pair.


The interaction has to conserve the energy of the two photons and conserve their momentum as well of course.


But yes they could (and most probably depending on their energy) just pass right "through" each other.



No comments:

Post a Comment

Understanding Stagnation point in pitot fluid

What is stagnation point in fluid mechanics. At the open end of the pitot tube the velocity of the fluid becomes zero.But that should result...