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Photon Energy Equation:
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Photon energy is the energy carried by a single photon, which is directly proportional to its electromagnetic frequency. The energy of a photon determines its behavior in various physical phenomena, including photoelectric effect and quantum mechanics.
The calculator uses the photon energy equation:
Where:
Explanation: The equation shows that photon energy increases linearly with frequency. Higher frequency photons (like gamma rays) carry more energy than lower frequency photons (like radio waves).
Details: Calculating photon energy is essential in quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, photochemistry, and understanding electromagnetic radiation interactions with matter. It's fundamental to technologies like lasers, solar cells, and medical imaging.
Tips: Enter the frequency in hertz (Hz). The frequency must be a positive value. The calculator will compute the photon energy using Planck's constant.
Q1: What is Planck's constant?
A: Planck's constant (6.626 × 10⁻³⁴ J s) is a fundamental physical constant that relates the energy of a photon to its frequency.
Q2: How is photon energy related to wavelength?
A: Photon energy can also be calculated using wavelength: E = hc/λ, where c is the speed of light and λ is the wavelength.
Q3: What are typical photon energy values?
A: Photon energies range from about 10⁻²⁵ J for radio waves to 10⁻¹³ J for gamma rays, depending on frequency.
Q4: Why is photon energy quantized?
A: Photon energy is quantized because electromagnetic energy is emitted and absorbed in discrete packets called photons, each carrying a specific amount of energy.
Q5: How is photon energy measured experimentally?
A: Photon energy can be measured through various methods including photoelectric effect experiments, spectroscopy, and calorimetry techniques.