answersLogoWhite

0

That's related to the fact that it moves at the speed of light. If you look at the formula for mass increase as a function of speed, it should be obvious that the mass of anything that has a non-zero (i.e., positive) rest mass would approach infinity as the object approaches the speed of light - meaning that the speed of light itself can never be reached, since that would give the object an infinite mass (and require an infinite energy). The only way an object can move at the speed of light is for it to have a rest mass zero. In a way, this is hypothetical, since particles such as the photon or graviton, that move at the speed of light, can only move at the speed of light.

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

What subatomic particles have a mass of 0?

The photon. This refers to the "rest mass"; since the photon has energy, it also has an associated mass. But the "rest mass" or "invariant mass" is zero.


Why the rest mass of photon is zero?

The rest mass of a photon is considered to be zero because photons are massless particles. They travel at the speed of light in a vacuum and do not possess rest mass. This is a fundamental property of photons in the Standard Model of particle physics.


What is the mass of moving photon?

A photon is a massless particle, so it does not have a rest mass. It only possesses energy and momentum, but in the context of special relativity, mass is not a property of a moving photon.


What do you call a particle of light with zero mass which carries a quantum of energy?

I call it a 'photon'.By the way, the photon has zero rest mass, but when it travels at the speed of light ...which it always does ... it has some mass.


What is the mass of a photon in motion?

It's (double the photon's energy) divided by (the speed of light squared). The photon's energy depends on its frequency, and is (frequency) times (Planck's konstant).


How many members are in the photon family?

The photon family consists of one member, which is the photon itself. Photons are elementary particles that carry the electromagnetic force and have zero rest mass.


A unit or quantum of light a particle of electromagnetic radiation that has zero rest mass and carries a quantum of energy?

Photon


What is the plot mass of photon?

the photon has got 0 rest mass .and plot mass means? not knowing..


When describing photons what is rest mass?

When describing photons specifically rest mass is zero. The "rest mass" is the hypothetical mass a photon would have if it weren't moving at the speed of light, which as just stated, is zero. Nothing with a non-zero rest mass can travel at the speed of light in a vacuum, because it would require a literally infinite amount of energy to accelerate to that speed. (Neutrinos have a very small, but non-zero, rest mass, and therefore travel at most at slightly under the speed of light.)


What is the significance of the rest mass of a photon in the context of particle physics?

The rest mass of a photon is significant in particle physics because it is zero. This property distinguishes photons from other particles, such as electrons and protons, which have non-zero rest masses. The masslessness of photons is a key factor in their behavior and interactions, including their ability to travel at the speed of light and their role in electromagnetic interactions.


Why the rest mass of photon is zero in quantum mechanic?

I have a theory gw+l=gw l=m. If a gravitational warp traps photon then photon have mass. A small amount 0.000000000000000000000000001 mg. That is what i think. ============================================= Until such time as the previous contributor's hunch can be tested in the laboratory, all theory and experiment so far has shown the rest mass of the photon to be zero.


When can a substance's mass be 0?

Yes, a Photon's mass is theorized to be zero.