Question

Electron-volt is one of the commonly used (in physics and chemistry) non-SI unit. Choose the statement below which correctly explain why and the circumstances in which electron-volt is more convenient than the SI unit of joule.

a) Electron-volt is used for large energy values.

b) Electron-volt is used for small energy values.

c) Electron-volt is used for measuring distance.

Answer 1

The electron-volt (eV) is used instead of joules when dealing with small, atomic-scale energy values to simplify calculations and better understand energy magnitudes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The electron-volt (eV) is a unit of energy that is more convenient to use than the joule when dealing with submicroscopic energy values such as those encountered in atomic-scale phenomena. The eV is the amount of energy given to an electron when it is accelerated through a potential difference of 1 volt, and in terms of SI units, it equates to 1.60 × 10-19 joules. This makes eV an ideal unit for discussing energy in scenarios such as individual chemical bond strengths, the energy of photons emitted from atoms, and thermal energy per atom or molecule. When working in fields like particle physics, using eV simplifies calculations and aids in understanding energy magnitudes without the need for converting units.