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Planck's Equation:
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Planck's equation describes the energy of a photon in terms of its wavelength. It is a fundamental equation in quantum mechanics that relates the energy of electromagnetic radiation to its frequency or wavelength.
The calculator uses Planck's 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 crucial for understanding quantum phenomena, spectroscopy, photochemistry, and various applications in physics and engineering including laser technology and solar energy conversion.
Tips: Enter the wavelength in meters. The value must be greater than 0. For very small wavelengths (e.g., visible light around 500 nm), use scientific notation (5e-7 for 500 nm).
Q1: What is the relationship between energy and wavelength?
A: Energy is inversely proportional to wavelength - as wavelength decreases, energy increases, and vice versa.
Q2: How do I convert between meters and other wavelength units?
A: 1 meter = 10⁹ nanometers (nm), 1 meter = 10¹⁰ angstroms (Å). For visible light, wavelengths are typically in the 400-700 nm range.
Q3: What are typical energy values for different types of light?
A: Radio waves have very low energy (∼10⁻²⁸ J), visible light has moderate energy (∼10⁻¹⁹ J), while gamma rays have very high energy (∼10⁻¹³ J).
Q4: Can this equation be used for all electromagnetic radiation?
A: Yes, Planck's equation applies to all electromagnetic radiation from radio waves to gamma rays.
Q5: What is the significance of Planck's constant?
A: Planck's constant is a fundamental physical constant that sets the scale of quantum effects and relates the energy of photons to their frequency.