Final answer:
The energy of a wave can be calculated using the formula E = hf, where E is the energy, h is Planck's constant, and f is the frequency of the wave. By rearranging the equation c = λf, we can find the frequency and then substitute it into the energy equation. The energy of the wave with a wavelength of 580 nm is approximately 3.40 x 10^-19 J (joules).
Step-by-step explanation:
The energy of a wave can be calculated using the formula E = hf, where E is the energy, h is Planck's constant (6.626 x 10^-34 J-s), and f is the frequency of the wave.
To find the frequency, we can use the equation c = λf, where c is the speed of light (3.00 x 10^8 m/s) and λ is the wavelength of the wave.
By rearranging the equation, we can solve for the frequency: f = c/λ. Plugging in the given wavelength of 580 nm (1 nm = 10^-9 m), we can calculate the frequency and then substitute it into the energy equation to find the answer.
Using the given information, the energy of a wave with a wavelength of 580 nm is approximately 3.40 x 10^-19 J (joules).