The Naked Scientists
Toggle navigation
Login
Register
Podcasts
The Naked Scientists
eLife
Naked Genetics
Naked Astronomy
In short
Naked Neuroscience
Ask! The Naked Scientists
Question of the Week
Archive
Video
SUBSCRIBE to our Podcasts
Articles
Science News
Features
Interviews
Answers to Science Questions
Get Naked
Donate
Do an Experiment
Science Forum
Ask a Question
About
Meet the team
Our Sponsors
Site Map
Contact us
User menu
Login
Register
Search
Home
Help
Search
Tags
Member Map
Recent Topics
Login
Register
Naked Science Forum
On the Lighter Side
New Theories
Could photons slowly loose energy?
« previous
next »
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Go Down
Could photons slowly loose energy?
4 Replies
3494 Views
0 Tags
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
CliffordK
(OP)
Naked Science Forum King!
6596
Activity:
0%
Thanked: 61 times
Site Moderator
Could photons slowly loose energy?
«
on:
13/05/2012 06:14:44 »
The higher the frequency of light, the higher the energy.
The lower the frequency, the lower the energy.
Is it possible that as light travels through space, it slowly looses energy, so that every billion years or so, it would loose a few percent of its energy?
Logged
imatfaal
Naked Science Forum King!
2782
Activity:
0%
Thanked: 1 times
rouge moderator
Re: Could photons slowly loose energy?
«
Reply #1 on:
14/05/2012 10:39:07 »
Cliff - two answers
1. through our space - Yes it does, background space is expanding, this lengthens the wavelength of photon transiting
2. static space - Not as far as I can tell. Light does not wear out.
Logged
There’s no sense in being precise when you don’t even know what you’re talking about. John Von Neumann
At the surface, we may appear as intellects, helpful people, friendly staff or protectors of the interwebs. Deep down inside, we're all trolls. CaptainPanic @ sf.n
CliffordK
(OP)
Naked Science Forum King!
6596
Activity:
0%
Thanked: 61 times
Site Moderator
Re: Could photons slowly loose energy?
«
Reply #2 on:
16/05/2012 07:46:43 »
Yes...
I guess this was my question... more or less.
Rather than space expanding, could photons simply be loosing energy, and thus slowly red-shifting with distance, at a rate so slight that it would be nearly impossible to observe on Earth?
Then, the question comes up as where does the energy go?
If Aether, Fabric of Space, Whatever, can not radiate energy, then what happens if it absorbs energy.
Or, maybe that is the explanation for "stretching". Red-shifting could be a combination of transferring energy from photons to space, and this energy being manifest as a "stretch".
Logged
MikeS
Naked Science Forum King!
1043
Activity:
0%
Thanked: 1 times
The Devils Advocate
Re: Could photons slowly loose energy?
«
Reply #3 on:
26/05/2012 10:28:21 »
If a photon is not subject to time, how can it change (and loose energy)?
As I understand it, there are three possibilities to explain the red shift.
1) photons loose energy.
2) space is expanding.
3) time is contracting.
«
Last Edit: 26/05/2012 10:35:50 by MikeS
»
Logged
yor_on
Naked Science Forum GOD!
65498
Activity:
100%
Thanked: 177 times
(Ah, yes:) *a table is always good to hide under*
Re: Could photons slowly loose energy?
«
Reply #4 on:
28/05/2012 23:01:26 »
It's one tricky question, isn't it
On one hand we expect a energy quanta to be itself, unchanging.
On the other hand, introducing a expanding space we define it as 'doing work', in some mysterious way interacting with 'space' as it must do to be red shifted. If it does so, can it be intrinsically 'time less'? But a red shift is also a description from a wave definition, as I've seen it that is?
What do a light quanta need to 'red shift'?
How many 'frames of reference' are needed?
Logged
"BOMB DISPOSAL EXPERT. If you see me running, try to keep up."
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Go Up
« previous
next »
Tags:
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...