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How does the speed of a photon compare to the speed of an EM wave?
Wiki User
∙ 6y ago
Wave length of gamma rays is 10 raised to the power of minus 12. It means that you have 10 raised to 12 waves in case of gamma rays/ meter. Wave length of radio wave is 10 raised to 3. So there is difference of '12' zeros between both of them. But the speed of electromagnetic wave is about 300,000,000 meters/ second. It means that photon travels about 300,000,000 meters/second. So the actual distance traveled by photon in case of radio wave is little more than 300,000,000 meters. So in case of gamma rays the distance traveled by photon is 1,000,000,000,000 *1000 = 1000,000,000,000,000 times that of radio wave per second.
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
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How does the speed of light depend on the wavelength?
The equation relating the velocity, wavelength and frequency of an electromagnetic wave is given byv=f λwhere v - velocity of the em wavef - frequency of the em wave andλ - wavelength of the em wave------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It is so important to know that velocity of light depends on the nature of the medium and does not depend on the wavelength.
How can an atom of size 1angstrom can absorb a photon of 5000 wavelength?
I presume you asking, "How can an atom of size about 1 angstrom absorb a photon whose wavelength is 5000 angstroms? Wouldn't the photon be too large for that atom?" The paradox is resolved in this way: the instant you start to discuss electro-magnetic radiation as a photon instead of a transverse electro-magnetic wave, then you negate the wave-length aspect of the light. Instead, you view light as a collection of photons -- particles whose "size" (if that word has meaning) is point-like -- with a specific energy instead of specific wavelength. A photon is NOT a snake-like wave, vibrating like a rubber band, with a length at least that of its wave-length, as it moves through a medium. A photon is a point particle with a specific energy. You can describe light as a EM wave with a wave-length OR as a collection of point particles. You can NOT do both at the same time. Light exhibits the characteristics of one OR the other, but NEVER both.
Is a EM wave a sound wave?
electromagnetic wave is not a sound wave
What does the energy of an em depend on?
If you mean electromagnetic waves, the energy per photon is directly proportional to the frequency (and therefore inversely proportional to the wavelength). The total energy of the wave, of course, can be just about anything.
What is the name for a particle of em radiation?
Photon - you can think of it as a bundle of waves
How em wave are generated from photon?
em wave is generated by photons which emitter the energy in the form of light
How does the speed of light depend on the wavelength?
The equation relating the velocity, wavelength and frequency of an electromagnetic wave is given byv=f λwhere v - velocity of the em wavef - frequency of the em wave andλ - wavelength of the em wave------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It is so important to know that velocity of light depends on the nature of the medium and does not depend on the wavelength.
How can an atom of size 1angstrom can absorb a photon of 5000 wavelength?
I presume you asking, "How can an atom of size about 1 angstrom absorb a photon whose wavelength is 5000 angstroms? Wouldn't the photon be too large for that atom?" The paradox is resolved in this way: the instant you start to discuss electro-magnetic radiation as a photon instead of a transverse electro-magnetic wave, then you negate the wave-length aspect of the light. Instead, you view light as a collection of photons -- particles whose "size" (if that word has meaning) is point-like -- with a specific energy instead of specific wavelength. A photon is NOT a snake-like wave, vibrating like a rubber band, with a length at least that of its wave-length, as it moves through a medium. A photon is a point particle with a specific energy. You can describe light as a EM wave with a wave-length OR as a collection of point particles. You can NOT do both at the same time. Light exhibits the characteristics of one OR the other, but NEVER both.
Is a EM wave a sound wave?
electromagnetic wave is not a sound wave
What does the energy of an em depend on?
If you mean electromagnetic waves, the energy per photon is directly proportional to the frequency (and therefore inversely proportional to the wavelength). The total energy of the wave, of course, can be just about anything.
How can electron emit radio photon Really are photons emitted only by electrons jumping from higher to lower energy levels?
The particle-like features of EM radiation at frequencies of radio waves are almost non-existent. It is far more useful to view such radiation as a vibrating EM-field instead of a photon of almost no energy. When doing so, you can see how a EM wave would result from electrons vibrating back and forth at at set frequency. By setting up an electronic oscillator that has a resonance at a radio wave frequency, you will get electrons vibrating at that frequency; and, from that, an EM wave of that frequency. > are photons emitted only by electrons jumping from higher to lower energy levels? No, there are many other ways to accomplish this.
What is the name for a particle of em radiation?
Photon - you can think of it as a bundle of waves
What does the wavelength of an EM wave tell about its energy?
The shorter the wavelength of a wave, the higher its energy.
What is the frequency of an EM wave that has a wavelength of 1 mm?
If only there were an equation that related the speed of EM waves, wavelength, and frequency... c=(wavelength)(frequency) Make sure and keep your units straight.
Is sound a type of electromagnetic wave?
No. Sound is a mechanical wave, not an EM wave.
What 2 properties of EM waves change from one end of the EM spectrum to the other?
Frequency; wavelength; energy per photon.
What kind of EM wave has the lowest energy?
radio wave
