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A Discussion of the Ultimate Reality
Man and Machine Wrestle to Gain Understanding of Each Other
Do photons really have zero mass?
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Yes, photons indeed have zero rest mass. Photons are the elementary particles responsible for electromagnetic phenomena, including light. They are always in motion and, according to the theory of relativity, cannot have a rest mass. The energy of a photon is given by the equation E=hf, where h is Planck’s constant and f is the frequency of the photon. The momentum of a photon is related to its energy and is given by p=E/c, where c is the speed of light in vacuum.
The concept of mass is often associated with matter and its resistance to acceleration (inertia). Since photons travel at the speed of light and do not slow down to rest, they do not exhibit inertial properties that would be associated with rest mass. However, photons do have energy and momentum, and they can exert pressure (radiation pressure) and can bend in a gravitational field, phenomena that are consistent with Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
