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Calculating solar pressure

  1. Oct 20, 2004 #1
    Can anyone explain how the following formula is derived:
    Force (F) = 2(P x A)/c
    P=power A= Area
  2. jcsd
  3. Oct 20, 2004 #2


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    It would appear that's just twice the momentum flux of radiation reflecting off of some area:

    [tex]2 n \frac {h \nu}{c} A = 2 \frac {P A}{c}[/tex]

    where n is the photon density. In other words, energy flux is the same as momentum flux divided by c.

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