3.12 Properties of Photons

Syllabus
2024
Topic
3.12
Level

Learning objectives

3.12.A—Explain the properties of an absorbed or emitted photon in relationship to an electronic transition in an atom…

Explain the properties of an absorbed or emitted photon in relationship to an electronic transition in an atom or molecule.

  • When a photon is absorbed (or emitted) by an atom or molecule, the energy of the species is increased (or decreased) by an amount equal to the energy of the photon.
  • The wavelength of the electromagnetic wave is related to its frequency and the speed of light by the equation: EQN: c = λν. The energy of a photon is related to the frequency of the electromagnetic wave through Planck’s equation: EQN: E = ℎν.