
Chapter 50
Electromagnetic Waves Carry Momentum, Too
At this juncture we encounter a limitation of the edifice of Classical Mechanics which
has been so painstakingly mapped
1
throughout these three volumes.
First, we shall recount a bit of history. Then, we’ll state the special relativistic expression for
the momentum associated with light [a type of massless particle]. With the correct answer
in hand [thanks to Einstein], we will paraphrase an analysis attributed to Maxwell which
effectively yields the same result.
ASIDE: The greatest scientists are somehow able to deduce truths about nature, even while
working in a context of incorrect or deficient mo