1. What is the Photon Energy Equation?

The photon energy equation relates the energy of a photon to its wavelength using Planck's constant and the speed of light. This fundamental equation in quantum mechanics helps understand the particle nature of light.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the photon energy equation:

Where:

• \( E \) — Energy of the photon (Joules)
• \( h \) — Planck's constant (6.62607015 × 10⁻³⁴ J·s)
• \( c \) — Speed of light (299,792,458 m/s)
• \( \lambda \) — Wavelength of the photon (meters)

Explanation: The equation shows that photon energy is inversely proportional to its wavelength - shorter wavelengths correspond to higher energy photons.

3. Importance of Photon Energy Calculation

Details: Calculating photon energy is essential in quantum physics, spectroscopy, photochemistry, and understanding electromagnetic radiation across the spectrum from radio waves to gamma rays.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the wavelength in meters (for example, 500 nm = 5e-7 m). The value must be positive. The calculator will compute the corresponding photon energy in Joules.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How can I convert the energy to electronvolts (eV)?
A: Divide the energy in Joules by the elementary charge (1.602176634 × 10⁻¹⁹ C) to convert to eV.

Q2: What's the relationship between photon energy and frequency?
A: Energy is also equal to h × ν, where ν is frequency. This is the Planck-Einstein relation.

Q3: What are typical photon energy values?
A: Visible light photons have energies of about 1.6-3.2 eV (2.5-5.1 × 10⁻¹⁹ J), while X-ray photons can be thousands of eV.

Q4: Why is the speed of light in the equation?
A: The equation combines wave (λ) and particle (E) properties of light, with c connecting wavelength and frequency.

Q5: Can this be used for all electromagnetic radiation?
A: Yes, the equation applies across the entire EM spectrum, from radio waves to gamma rays.