The Importance of Photon Energy in Physics

How can we calculate the energy of a mole of photons of a specific wavelength in kilojoules? The energy of a single photon can be found using Planck's formula. The energy of a mole of photons is then found by multiplying this energy by Avogadro's number. The energy of a mole of photons of a specific wavelength can be calculated by applying these principles.

Calculation of Photon Energy

Photon energy plays a crucial role in the field of physics, particularly in understanding the behavior of light particles. To calculate the energy of a mole of photons of a specific wavelength, one needs to begin by determining the energy of a single photon using Planck's formula.

Planck's Formula

The energy of a photon (E) can be calculated using Planck's formula: E = hc / λ, where h is Planck's constant (6.626 x 10^-34 J.s), c is the speed of light (3.00 x 10^8 m/s), and λ is the wavelength of the photon in meters.

Calculation Method

Let's consider a photon with a wavelength of 588 nm. First, convert the wavelength to meters: 588 nm = 588 x 10^-9 m. Substituting the values into Planck's formula, we can calculate the energy of a single photon at this wavelength.

Avogadro's Number

Once we have determined the energy of a single photon, we can find the energy of a mole of photons by multiplying this energy by Avogadro's number (6.022 x 10^23 mol^-1).

Final Calculation

After performing the necessary calculations, the energy of a mole of photons with a wavelength of 588 nm is approximately 203 kJ. This value provides valuable insights into the energy content of photons at this specific wavelength.

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