Skip to main content
Back

Radiation Pressure definitions

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/15
  • Radiation Pressure
    The force per unit area exerted by electromagnetic waves when they interact with objects.
  • Electromagnetic Waves
    Waves that carry energy and momentum, capable of exerting force upon interaction with matter.
  • Momentum
    A property of electromagnetic waves allowing them to exert force, despite having no mass.
  • Absorbed Light
    Light that transfers its momentum to an object, exerting a force and causing a small velocity.
  • Reflected Light
    Light that bounces back from a surface, changing momentum more significantly than absorbed light.
  • Intensity
    The power per unit area of electromagnetic waves, crucial in calculating radiation pressure.
  • Speed of Light
    A constant value, denoted as c, used in calculations of radiation pressure and force.
  • Inelastic Collision
    A scenario where absorbed light transfers momentum, similar to objects sticking together post-collision.
  • Elastic Collision
    A scenario where reflected light changes momentum, akin to objects rebounding post-collision.
  • Force
    The push or pull exerted by electromagnetic waves on an object, calculated using intensity and area.
  • Area
    The surface over which electromagnetic waves exert force, affecting the calculation of pressure.
  • Power
    The rate of energy transfer by electromagnetic waves, used to determine intensity.
  • Pascals
    The unit of measurement for pressure, including radiation pressure exerted by light.
  • Newton
    The unit of measurement for force, including the force exerted by absorbed or reflected light.
  • Laser
    A device emitting light with high intensity, used in examples to illustrate radiation pressure.