Momentum of a Photon (p)

The Momentum of a Photon calculator computes the momentum of the photon (p) based on the wavelength (λ) and Plank's Constant (h).

INSTRUCTIONS: Enter the following:

• (λ) Wavelength of the Photon

Momentum (ρ):  The calculator returns the Momentum in kilograms meters per second (kg•m/s).  However, this can be automatically converted to compatible units via the pull-down menu.

The Math / Science

The formula for the wavelength of a photon is:

            λ =h/p

where:

• h = Plank's constant
• p = Momentum in kg•m/s

Note: Momentum = Mass • Velocity

This calculator uses the above formula solved for momentum.

References

 35.1 Electrons as waves by Benjamin Crowell, Light and Matter  licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license.