Conceptual Physics (12th Edition)

Published by Addison-Wesley
ISBN 10: 0321909100
ISBN 13: 978-0-32190-910-7

Chapter 36 - Think and Explain - Page 698-699: 35

Answer

There would be a net gravitational blue shift.

Work Step by Step

The energy of a photon is given by E = hf, where h is Planck's constant. If the energy of light is lowered, as in traveling upward in a gravitational field, its frequency is lowered (the light is said to be red-shifted). On the other hand, if the light's energy is increased, as in falling downward in a gravitational field, the frequency is raised (the light is blue-shifted). Light leaving the moon is red shifted (rising in the moon’s gravitational field), but then is blue-shifted even more (falling through Earth’s stronger field). There is a net gravitational blue shift.
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