Optics Question 310
Question: A plane electromagnetic wave is incident on a material surface. If the wave delivers momentum p and energy E, then
Options:
A) p = 0, E = 0
B) p ¹ 0, E ¹ 0
C) p ¹ 0, E = 0
D) p = 0, E ¹ 0
Show Answer
Answer:
Correct Answer: B
Solution:
EM waves carry momentum and hence can exert pressure on surfaces. They also transfer energy to the surface so $ p\ne 0 $ and $ E\ne 0 $ .
