How light can bounce off objects but it has no mass.

Question

I understand that light has momentum but if it has no mass how can it bounce?

In: Physics

Answer 1

You know how magnets can repel each other? The forces inside atoms are waaaaay stronger than that. In fact, they’re so strong they can literally bounce incoming energy, like light, away. After all, all mass is just energy. E = mc^2 shows us that mass is a LOT of energy.