ABOUT LIGHT-WAVES & PARTICLES
- Electromagnetic radiation and the electromagnetic energy it transports can be described in terms of waves.
- Electromagnetic radiation (radiant energy) includes all wavelengths of light from radio waves to gamma rays.
- Electromagnetic radiation can be described in terms of photons and their properties.
- Energy: Photons have energy that depends on their frequency or wavelength. Higher-frequency photons have more energy than lower-frequency photons.
- Number: The number of photons in a given electromagnetic radiation depends on its intensity or brightness. Higher-intensity radiation has more photons than lower-intensity radiation.
- Direction: Photons travel in straight lines, but their direction can be changed by interacting with matter.
- Polarization: Photons can be polarized, which means that their electric and magnetic fields oscillate in a particular direction.
- Speed: Photons travel at the speed of light, which is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second in a vacuum.