Student Friendly Introduction to QFT · Problem 13

Scalars: Spin 0 Fields

Physics — QFT · four-momentum-photon

Problem

(Problem added in revision of 2nd edition). Express the components pμp^\mu of 4-momentum for a photon. Assume it is traveling in the x1x^1 direction. Use natural units where speed of light c=1c = 1. (Hint: Use energy expressed in terms of frequency ff and 3-momentum in terms of wave length λ\lambda.) Then show that even though pμ≠0p^\mu \neq 0, (p)2=pμpμ=0(p)^2 = p^\mu p_\mu = 0. (Hint: Use speed of light expressed in terms of frequency and wave length.) Does this make sense in light of (2-55), given what we know about the photon mass? Then express pμp^\mu in terms of ω=2πf\omega = 2\pi f and wave number k=2π/λk = 2\pi/\lambda, where ℏ=h/2π\hbar = h/2\pi (= 1 in natural units).

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