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Ramen576 t1_jaj3b7f wrote

Why isn't the amount of energy absorbed by a photon striking a target based on the distance traveled? Eg, if I have a 420nm wavelength with a target 420nm from the source. Polarization filters in place.
Why is the same amount of energy absorbed if it is 210nm from the target vs 105 or 215nm?

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mfb- t1_jal75vx wrote

Where would the difference in energy come from?

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Ramen576 t1_jalakvm wrote

I am really asking about the trough of the wave. Is this a case where the answer is "it's also a particle Ramen"?

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ElleRisalo t1_jajbwmc wrote

In real world application Photons lose energy all the time colliding and scattering off objects.

If a Photon can travel a straight line in a vacuum it will travel that line forever without loss of Energy.

However in space for example there is just so much stuff out there (including other photons) to collide into that photons are constantly be redirected rerouted or absorbed by other particles and objects.

This is what leads to depletion of energy, adjustment of wavelengths that is call red shift.

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mfb- t1_jal74rn wrote

Bullshit.

Redshift comes from the expansion of space, not from collisions.

If it came from collisions then we couldn't make out any individual redshifted objects because all the light would be scattered into random directions.

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