2006-12-16 03:50:11 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
a photon doesn't look like anything since it has no mass and is purely energy. Also, there would be nothing you could see it with because to see what it "looks" like you would have to reflect light off of it. Since it is purely energy and has no mass, nothing will reflect off of it.
At this point, scientists use drawings to describe how it WORKS, but it certainly doesn't look like anything physically.
It's similar to asking what wind looks like (ignoring molecules). A blast of wind certainly carries energy, but there is nothing you can see assuming there is no dust etc. Also, what does heat look like? If you're AC turns on with warm air, you certainly feel it but you can't see it (assuming its not really really hot)
2006-12-16 03:52:32 · answer #1 · answered by polloloco.rb67 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
By the theory of relativity and the quantum theory, photons, like electrons go back and forth between extremely small particles and large amounts of energy.
It can only be detected as an energy wave by very sensitive machines. It really has no visible qualities at all.
Think of it like a wave in the ocean. You can see what it does, but the wave actually is just a pulse of energy that cannot be seen, just felt.
2006-12-16 04:02:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It looks like a faint blink of light. That's a valid statement because, unlike every other fundamental particle, a single photon CAN be detected by unaided human senses -- specifically, fully dark-adapted eyes can detect a blink of light so faint that it corresponds to a single photon striking a rod cell. That attests to the astounding sensitivity of the human visual apparatus!
2006-12-16 04:20:51 · answer #3 · answered by poorcocoboiboi 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a particle without mass and electric charge. According to deBroglie it can also be represented by awave with freqence and wavelength related to energy as E =hf =hc/lambda
lambda wave length
c speed of light 3*10^8 m/s
H =6.063 10^-34 JS
E energy in Joules
2006-12-16 04:04:56 · answer #4 · answered by maussy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A photon is a particle of light. It's not something you see, it's something you use to see with. It looks like whatever object it bounced off before it entered your eye.
2006-12-16 04:00:59 · answer #5 · answered by Amy F 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Its a wave and then again its a particle. At this level of reality its all about how you look at it.
2006-12-16 03:52:37 · answer #6 · answered by megalomaniac 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
photon is not a particle. it is wavelet
2006-12-16 04:16:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have to look *real* quick to see one ☺
Doug
2006-12-16 03:55:24 · answer #8 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋