Final answer:
The energy of a light wave with a wavelength of 712 nm can be calculated using Planck's constant and the speed of light, resulting in an energy of approximately 2.78 x 10^-19 joules.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the energy of a light wave with a wavelength of 712 nm,
one must use Planck's constant (6.626 x 10-34 J·s) and the speed of light in a vacuum (3 x 108 m/s).
The energy E of a photon can be calculated using the formula E = hc / λ, where h is Planck's constant, c is the speed of light, and λ is the wavelength.
First, convert the wavelength from nanometers to meters by multiplying by 10-9.
Therefore, 712 nm = 712 x 10-9 m.
Then, plug the values into the formula:
E = (6.626 x 10-34 J·s) (3 x 108 m/s) / (712 x 10-9 m)
After computing, we find that the energy of a photon with a 712 nm wavelength is approximately 2.78 x 10-19 joules.