A5_7 Laser Pool

Abstract

In this paper we ask the question of how feasible the concept of laser pool would be (using a laser instead of a pool cue). The laser is initially considered to be of comparable diameter to that of the ball, and is compared to a more focused beam. The geometry of the system is considered in detail, calculating how much photon momentum is transferred to the ball. We find the required laser power is approximately 3 × 1023W for the wide laser, and 5 × 1010W for the focused laser.