wavelengths of macroscopic bodies

From: Charles J. Quarra (disposablemailaccountfornews_at_yahoo.com.ar)
Date: 08/12/04 

Date: 12 Aug 2004 09:29:30 -0400

Hi,

 Frequently, in introductory quantum mechanics books the relation
between wavelength-momentum is used uncospicuously for macroscopic
objects, probably for didactic purposes, however i see a problem with
that extrapolation: if one would go on and adding the momenta of the
composite objects to obtain a "body-momenta", then one should ask if
why that cant extrapolate to, for example, light beams (as the one you
got on a laser). If there is a system in which one can fulfill the
condition of coherent constructive propagation is in the laser light.
A laser pulse has a lot more total momenta than its constitutive
photons (each produced by an individual atom line) however one doesnt
see this "total momenta wavelength" at
              work in the physics of these systems, at least nothing
im aware.

 any insights about this?

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