I understand that light has momentum but if it has no mass how can it bounce?
In: Physics
Light does not “bounce.” A photon of light is absorbed by an atom, which excites an electron in that atom. The electron then relaxes, which causes the atom to give off (or emit) a photon of light.
Think of it more like a person catching and then throwing a ball, as compared to a ball bouncing off of a wall.
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