Does light have matter? Im putting this because I need 20 characters.?

Question

First, matter is defined as anything that has light and takes up space.

So we know that light is made up of photons, which have mass, and they take up space so they are matter. Because of this we could assume that light is matter.

Well something I have always been taught is that the main te st for seeing if something is matter is by answering the question: Can you fill a baloon with the object and make the baloon expand? Well if I put a light, and a power source inside of that baloon, I cannot expand the baloon. So according to that, light is not matter becase it does not take up space.

Some may argue well the baloon is to big, well even at that you should still be able to expand the baloon such as you can with H, C, O, H2O, all of that. With enough of the substance, you should be able to expand any size baloon. You cannot do this with light.

So with that I will ask agian: Is light matter, why or why not?

Cody · Accepted Answer

You made some incorrect assumptions.  Photons do not have a rest mass, thus they are not matter.

John de Witt · Answer

GIGO.
Your definition is open to question, and the point property (no space is taken up) and zero rest mass of photons mean you've gotten off to three wrong starts. You might want to google "gauge boson" while you're at it, and if you want to find a gauge boson with mass, though you'd still have trouble filling a balloon with Z bosons.

Azalian · Answer

Photons have zero mass.

Randy P · Answer

A number of misconceptions there.

Matter is anything that has mass.

Light does not have mass.

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Does light have matter? Im putting this because I need 20 characters.?

4 Answers