Determine Radiation pressure given the fraction of total absorption

mardi 1 octobre 2013

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data

Radiation of intensity I is normally incident on an object that absorbs a fraction frac of it and reflects the rest back along the original path. What is the radiation pressure on the object?

2. Relevant equations

Radiation pressure Pr (force/unit area)

Pra = I/c (total absorption)

Prr = 2I/c (total reflection back along path)

3. The attempt at a solution

The object absorbs a fraction frac of the intensity, which I translate mathematically as:

Pra = (frac)*I / c

This would mean that the total intensity reflected is:

Prr = 2*(1 - frac)*I/c

Unfortunately the answer is: Pra = (2 - frac)*I / c

I don't know how they came to this conclusion. Thanks in advance, MrMoose