Question

In the relationship E = hf for a photon emitted from an atom, the symbol E is used to represent the energy

A. difference between atomic energy states producing the photon.
B. of the emitted photon.
C. neither of these

Answer 1

The symbol E in the equation E = hf represents the energy of a photon, which is determined by its frequency and Planck's constant, signifying the quantization of EM radiation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The equation E = hf is a fundamental relationship in quantum physics that links the energy of a photon (E) to its frequency (f) with Planck's constant (h) as the proportionality constant. When an atom emits a photon, the energy (E) of that photon corresponds to the difference in energy between the atomic energy states that produce the photon. This quantization implies that electromagnetic (EM) waves, which are composed of photons, have their energy absorbed and emitted not continuously, but in discrete 'lumps' or quanta of size hf.

The energy of a photon is critical in explaining phenomena such as the photoelectric effect, where it is evident that light has particle-like properties, and each photon carries a specific quantum of energy. This concept was key to the development of quantum mechanics and has numerous applications across modern physics.