Re: [Phys-l] starlight deflection

[John Mallinckrodt <ajm@csupomona.edu>]

Do I detect, both in the question and in Joel's answer, an "ever so  
slight" hint of non third-law-ism? ;-)

John

David  wrote:

> Starlight deflects as it grazes the sun, as the sun's mass warps  
> space...so the vector momentum of a photon is altered by its  
> encounter with the sun. But an altered momentum means that a force  
> was exerted. So, does the starlight tug ever-so-slightly on the  
> sun? ...

to which Joel responded:

> ... So I say that they do tug, ever so slightly back on the sun.

A. JOHN MALLINCKRODT
Professor of Physics, Cal Poly Pomona
     http://www.csupomona.edu/~ajm