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Planck-Einstein Relation:
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The Planck-Einstein relation describes the energy of a photon in terms of its wavelength. This fundamental equation in quantum mechanics connects the particle and wave properties of light, showing that the energy of a photon is inversely proportional to its wavelength.
The calculator uses the Planck-Einstein relation:
Where:
Explanation: The equation shows that shorter wavelengths correspond to higher energy photons, while longer wavelengths correspond to lower energy photons.
Details: Calculating photon energy is crucial in various fields including quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, photochemistry, and optical engineering. It helps determine the interaction of light with matter and is fundamental to understanding phenomena like the photoelectric effect.
Tips: Enter the wavelength in meters. The value must be positive and non-zero. For best results, use scientific notation for very small wavelengths (e.g., 5.0e-7 for 500 nm).
Q1: What are typical wavelength values for visible light?
A: Visible light wavelengths range from approximately 380 nm (violet) to 750 nm (red), which is 3.8 × 10⁻⁷ m to 7.5 × 10⁻⁷ m.
Q2: How does energy relate to frequency?
A: Energy can also be calculated as E = hν, where ν is the frequency. Since c = λν, both formulas are equivalent.
Q3: Why is the energy value so small?
A: Individual photons carry very small amounts of energy due to the extremely small value of Planck's constant. This is why we typically deal with large numbers of photons in practical applications.
Q4: Can this calculator be used for all electromagnetic radiation?
A: Yes, the Planck-Einstein relation applies to all electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves to gamma rays.
Q5: What are common units for photon energy?
A: While joules are the SI unit, electronvolts (eV) are commonly used in atomic and particle physics (1 eV = 1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ J).