All Problems

Thermal Radiation. Quantum Nature of Light.

Problem 5.268

A small ideal mirror of mass m=10mgm=10 \mathrm{mg} is suspended by a weightless thread of length l=10 cm.l=10 \mathrm{~cm} . Find the angle through which the thread will be deflected when a short laser pulse with energy E=13 JE=13 \mathrm{~J} is shot in the horizontal direction at right angles to the mirror. Where does the mirror get its kinetic energy?

Reveal Answer
sin(θ/2)E/mcgl,θ=0.5\sin (\theta / 2) \approx E / m c \sqrt{g l}, \theta=0.5^{\circ}