Higgs and Photon Mass?

Most recent answer: 05/02/2014

Q:
If the higgs field gives mass to particles, and if mass is a representation energy, and if photons have energy, and in fact have momentum like particles with mass would, could it be interpreted that photons do have mass?(not rest mass, since that's 0), and can it also be said that this mass is an interaction with the higgs field?(since the higgs field gives mass)
- ray (age 18)
colombo, srilanka
A:

Photons certainly do have momentum and energy, and thus have inertial mass though no rest mass. When people say that the interaction with the Higgs field "gives mass", they mean rest mass. So photons, with no rest mass, don't interact with the Higgs field.

Mike W.


(published on 05/02/2014)