Re: Basic physics Q on light - why is visible light not effected by magnetism?

josephus <dogbird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:13ksund2jj7j0bd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

Chris L Peterson wrote:

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:43:45 -0800 (PST), "thad@xxxxxxxxxxxx"
<thad@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


Which begs the question: why are photons bandied-about as if they
were discrete particles (and radio waves are not so treated), having
zero rest mass (as if it's even possible for light to be standing
still),
etc.


Because it is often convenient. We have detectors that can record single
photons with energies in the optical range. We can't generally detect
single photons with radio energies. That doesn't mean that radio
waves/particles don't exhibit the same kind of duality, though.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

the other thing is magnetic fields polorize the light. we have
information about the magnetic field of the galaxy because of this
characteristic. none of this is simple

But that is an effect on the matter emitting the light, not on the light
itself.


josephus

.

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