Light as a Particle
Most recent answer: 02/14/2013
Q:
As electromagnetic energy increases in frequency, eventually the elctromagnetic energy will be in the visible light spectrum. Now, light, acts as both a wave and a partical (partical-wave). If the frequency continues to rise, the energyu will enter into the range of microwaves and gamma radiation.
Now for the question:
At what frequency does electromagnetic energy no longer have the properties of a partical, and why?
- Brent (age 51)
Beebe, AR USA
- Brent (age 51)
Beebe, AR USA
A:
First a minor correction: microwave frequencies are much lower than those of visible light, unlike the high-frequency gamma rays.
The basic rules for all these frequencies of electromagnetic radiation are independent of frequency. The wave propagation follows a wave equation. When the wave interacts with certain other things (a sheet of film, for example), then it's "measured". By that we mean that different large-scale outcomes can be produced. For example, different parts of the film might record "hits" by the light. Often detectors have a quantized response: 0, 1, 2,... hits. Then we say the wave acts like particles, because having a particular number of hits in more or less particular places is the sort of thing particles do.
So the frequency range at which these particle-like interactions show up depends on what the wave is interacting with.
Mike W.
The basic rules for all these frequencies of electromagnetic radiation are independent of frequency. The wave propagation follows a wave equation. When the wave interacts with certain other things (a sheet of film, for example), then it's "measured". By that we mean that different large-scale outcomes can be produced. For example, different parts of the film might record "hits" by the light. Often detectors have a quantized response: 0, 1, 2,... hits. Then we say the wave acts like particles, because having a particular number of hits in more or less particular places is the sort of thing particles do.
So the frequency range at which these particle-like interactions show up depends on what the wave is interacting with.
Mike W.
(published on 02/14/2013)