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Does the ‘Doppler Effect’ change the energy of a photon?

In reading any classical description of the ‘Doppler Effect’ the question of the energy of a photon is never discussed.

The energy of a photon is E=hv. Where h = Planck constant and v = frequency. Ignoring Planck constant we can simply say the energy of a photon is equal to its frequency.

The ‘Doppler Effect’ states that the measured frequency of light at a receiver will be altered by the motion of the source or the receiver.

I can then rewrite the ‘Doppler Effect’ to read the measured energy of a photon will be altered by the motion of the source or receiver.

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  • Asked by johnrn
  • on 2010-02-14 03:16:59
  • Member status
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Categories: Our universe.

Tags: physics, Astronomy.

 

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Pedant says:

Unlike momentum, energy is not a conserved quantiy in spacetime. The momentum of a photon is unchanging from any viewpoint but its apparent energy depends on the observer. Frequency is the inverse of a time period and time varies with relative velocity, acceleration and gravitational field.

The high energy photons created in the big bang which we are now observing on Earth appear to have lost so much energy over 13.7 billion years that they are now mere radio waves. The energy (frequency) reduction can be thought of as being due to the Doppler effect of the expanding universe.

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Tags: physics, Astronomy.

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posted on 2010-02-20 19:33:36 | Report abuse


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