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Photon Energy Equation:
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The photon energy equation \( E = \frac{h \times c}{\lambda} \) relates the energy of a photon to its wavelength, where h is Planck's constant and c is the speed of light. This fundamental equation in quantum mechanics helps determine the energy carried by electromagnetic radiation.
The calculator uses the photon energy equation:
Where:
Explanation: The equation shows that photon energy is inversely proportional to its wavelength - shorter wavelengths correspond to higher energy photons.
Details: Calculating photon energy is essential in fields like spectroscopy, quantum physics, photochemistry, and optical engineering. It helps determine light-matter interactions and is fundamental to understanding phenomena like the photoelectric effect.
Tips: Enter the wavelength in meters (e.g., 500 nm = 5e-7 m). The calculator will output the photon energy in Joules. For practical applications, results are often converted to electronvolts (1 eV = 1.60218e-19 J).
Q1: What is the relationship between wavelength and energy?
A: Energy is inversely proportional to wavelength - as wavelength decreases, energy increases, following the equation E = hc/λ.
Q2: How do I convert between nanometers and meters?
A: 1 nanometer = 10⁻⁹ meters. So 550 nm = 550 × 10⁻⁹ m = 5.5 × 10⁻⁷ m.
Q3: What are typical photon energies for visible light?
A: Visible light photons (400-700 nm) have energies between about 3.1-1.8 eV (5.0-2.9 × 10⁻¹⁹ J).
Q4: Can this equation be used for all electromagnetic radiation?
A: Yes, it applies to all photons from radio waves to gamma rays, though the energy values span many orders of magnitude.
Q5: Why is Planck's constant important here?
A: Planck's constant relates the energy of a photon to its frequency (or wavelength), establishing the quantum nature of light.