Questions tagged [photons]

The photon is the quantum of the electromagnetic four-potential, and therefore the massless bosonic particle associated with the electromagnetic force, commonly also called the "particle of light". Use this tag for questions about the quantum-mechanical understanding of light and/or electromagnetic interactions.

A photon, belongs to the class of bosons, is the smallest discrete amount or quantum of electromagnetic radiation. It might be the most familiar of elementary particles. As photons are massless, they are traveling at the constant speed of light $(= 2.998 \times 10^8$ m/s$)$ and bombard us daily from the sun, moon, and stars. For more than a century, scientists and engineers have harnessed them in aggregate to illuminate our cities and now, our screens.
The energy of the photon depends on its frequency (how fast the electric field and magnetic field wiggle). The higher the frequency, the more energy the photon has. Of course, a beam of light has many photons. This means that really intense red light (lots of photons, with slightly lower energy) can carry more power to a given area than less intense blue light (fewer photons with higher energy).
As per Einstein’s light quantum theory, photons have energy equal to their oscillation frequency times Planck’s constant.

References:
What exactly is a photon? Definition, properties, facts
Light: The Physics of Photons
What, exactly, is a photon?

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Free electron can't absorb a photon

Why can't a free electron absorb a photon? But a one attached to an atom can.. Can you explain to me logically and by easy equations? Thank you..
user65035
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What happens when a photon "dies"?

As far as I understand a photon is produced, or "born", whenever an electron moves from a high energy state back to its normal energy state. The photon then travels at the speed of light across space in a straight line until it hits another atom, or…
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How to rebut denials of the existence of photons?

Recently I have encountered several engineers who do not “believe in” photons. They believe experiments such as the photoelectric effect can be explained with classical EM fields + quantized energy levels in atoms. There is a 1995 paper by Lamb…
user38274
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How many photons per second is one Lumen?

Also the side question is how many Joules is one photon (any between 450-660nm). Thank you P.S. I am asking because I want to estimate how much thermal energy should be dissipated by LED when part of known energy is emitted as light. P.S. Got an…
user299
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Is there a maximum amount of photons that can exist in a certain amount of space?

If you have a set amount of space, lets say 10 cubic centimeters, and you would be able to trap photons in there. If you would then add more and more photons to that space, could you then go on infinitely or would you eventually run into a maximum…
user17615
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What is the length of a single photon?

I don't mean the wavelength, I mean the full length in the direction of propagation. What is the total extent of a single photon in space? Does it even have a length? Edit to clarify: Let's say a have a polar molecule, e.g. water. A standing EM wave…
gardenhead
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Confusion regarding photons?

I'm still in high school, and while I can't complain about the quality of my teachers (all of them have done at least a bachelor, some a masters) I usually am cautious to believe what they say straight away. Since I'm interested quite a bit in…
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What is the fate of a photonic quantum that hits a black wall?

What is the fate of a photonic quantum that hits a black wall? How does this work with the conservation of energy and matter?
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Do photons affect one another

This question can have many answers. For one, I would be enlightened to understand whether two photons can truly create an electron-positron pair, as well I would like to know if a photon is able to change other photon's directional path. I've read…
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Is photon direction affected by a strong electric field?

Is photon direction affected by a strong electric field? Just like gravity pulls light?.
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frequencies of light

Why are available frequency of light continuous ? I keep hearing that atoms absorb (and emit ) photons of particular frequency which correspond to their energy levels of their electron. Where do all other colours come from ?
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Can non-photon atomic particles (can/may be) stimulate photonreceptors in our eyes?

I want to ask if the human eye can see only photons particles between ultra violet and infrared wavelengths, can we see other particles (that have a wavelength between ultra violet and infrared) moving in the space available? Are non-photon visible…
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Are number of photons in an incident radiation proportional to its intensity?

Does number of photos emitted depends upon frequency of light source (or light color)? I don't think so but one of the questions I attempted today suggests so. When the number of photons is proportional to the frequency of the radiation? I think it…
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How can a single photon or electron create a small visible dot on a photosensitive plate?

The photon or electron is just one subatomic particle, but if it hits the film and creates a dot visible to the human eye (btw, modern technology can do this), then the dot must be a collection of millions of atoms or molecules on the screen that…
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Does a photon have a minimum energy level, below which it disappears?

As photons travel through expanding space they become red shifted, resulting in the CMB. Eventually they will no longer be detectable as they continue to redshift. Is there a point in the distant future where their energy level drops so low, its at…
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