<p>Locally, energy and momentum must be conserved. So no, a photon cannot lose energy or change momentum by interacting with virtual particle pairs that have a net energy and momentum of zero.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-16T20:13:04.903Z
2017-01-17T07:18:34.990Z
2017-01-17T07:18:34.990Z
ProfRob
<p>It is assumed that particles and anti-particles pop out in vacuum (vacuum energy). Could this have an effect on the paths of photons when they interact with these particles? The amount of photons going straight from the source would then gradually diminish. The supernovae would then appear dimmer than without this effect.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-17T13:33:49.023Z
Ephemeral vacuum particles induce speed-of-light fluctuations: https://www.springer.com/about+springer/media/springer+select?SGWID=0-11001-6-1414244-0
Wayfaring Stranger
<light><vacuum>
Could vacuum energy dim standard candles?
TumppeJH
# Could vacuum energy dim standard candles?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-01-16)

It is assumed that particles and anti-particles pop out in vacuum (vacuum energy). Could this have an effect on the paths of photons when they interact with these particles? The amount of photons going straight from the source would then gradually diminish. The supernovae would then appear dimmer than without this effect.

**Tags:** light, vacuum

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Ephemeral vacuum particles induce speed-of-light fluctuations: https://www.springer.com/about+springer/media/springer+select?SGWID=0-11001-6-1414244-0  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-01-16. Score: 3

Locally, energy and momentum must be conserved. So no, a photon cannot lose energy or change momentum by interacting with virtual particle pairs that have a net energy and momentum of zero.


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