36.6k views
5 votes
A láser produce a beam of light with a wavelength of 533nm. If the power output is 25 mW, how many photons does the laser emit per second?

1 Answer

2 votes

The laser emits approximately \(7.08 \times 10^{15}\) photons per second.

To determine the number of photons emitted per second, you can use the formula:

\[ \text{Number of photons} = \frac{\text{Power output}}{\text{Energy per photon}} \]

The energy of a photon (\(E\)) can be calculated using the equation:

\[ E = \frac{hc}{\lambda} \]

where:

- \(h\) is Planck's constant (\(6.626 \times 10^{-34} \ \text{J}\cdot\text{s}\)),

- \(c\) is the speed of light (\(3.00 \times 10^8 \ \text{m/s}\)),

- \(\lambda\) is the wavelength of light.

Let's calculate the energy per photon and then use it to find the number of photons emitted per second.

Given:

- Wavelength (\(\lambda\)) = 533 nm = \(533 \times 10^{-9} \ \text{m}\),

- Power output = 25 mW = \(25 \times 10^{-3} \ \text{W}\).

**Step 1:** Calculate the energy per photon (\(E\)) using the wavelength:

\[ E = \frac{hc}{\lambda} \]

**Step 2:** Use the calculated \(E\) to find the number of photons:

\[ \text{Number of photons} = \frac{\text{Power output}}{\text{Energy per photon}} \]

Now, let's perform the calculations.

**Step 1: Calculate the energy per photon (\(E\))**

\[ E = \frac{hc}{\lambda} \]

\[ E = \frac{(6.626 \times 10^{-34} \ \text{J}\cdot\text{s})(3.00 \times 10^8 \ \text{m/s})}{533 \times 10^{-9} \ \text{m}} \]

\[ E \approx 3.54 \times 10^{-19} \ \text{J} \]

**Step 2: Calculate the number of photons**

\[ \text{Number of photons} = \frac{\text{Power output}}{\text{Energy per photon}} \]

\[ \text{Number of photons} = \frac{25 \times 10^{-3} \ \text{W}}{3.54 \times 10^{-19} \ \text{J}} \]

\[ \text{Number of photons} \approx 7.08 \times 10^{15} \ \text{photons/second} \]

Therefore, the laser emits approximately \(7.08 \times 10^{15}\) photons per second.

User Sergey Ilinsky
by
8.4k points