Re: How do photons travel in a straight line in air?

From: Rahul Jain (rjain_at_nyct.net)
Date: 07/22/04 

Date: 22 Jul 2004 05:16:43 -0400

junk@riddell.co.nz (Sylvester) writes:

> Can someone tell me the current explanation for how photons travel in
> a straight line in air.
>
> Presumably the photons will encounter electrons in their journey (how
> many encounters on average per meter?) and will be absorbed and
> re-emitted. Is it a property of air (and I guess other transparent
> media) that it's electrons re-emit the photons in more or less the
> same direction they came from, or is some other mechanism involved?

Here's my impression (But note from my sig that I'm an amateur, so I
may be wrong. If I am, someone please correct me so that I learn how
this stuff actually works):

It's either that or the electron will need to move into another state
due to conservation of momentum (and angular momentum, for that matter).
The ability of the electrons to do this (and, I suppose, the states
involved) determines whether they can reflect or absorb (depending on
the aforementioned states) the photon or not.

> Please include photographs.

I wasn't aware that this group was also an online dating service...
:) 

-- 
Rahul Jain
rjain@nyct.net
Professional Software Developer, Amateur Quantum Mechanicist

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