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Abstract
The semiclassical light force on a free atom is derived as the reaction on the atom of momentum loss from and exchange between plane wave modes of a classical light field. This approach leads directly to an expression for the force that is computationally convenient for multidimensional laser field configurations under conditions where a two-level model of the atoms is appropriate, and provides insight into the origin of the light force in terms of loss, gain and exchange of mode momenta.