Final answer:
Electromagnetic radiation is energy that can travel through space, characterized by its wavelength and frequency. A quantum represents the smallest unit of this energy, and a photon is a particle of light with energy but no rest mass.
Step-by-step explanation:
Definitions of Electromagnetic Radiation and Related Terms
Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that is all around us and takes many forms, such as radio waves, microwaves, X-rays and gamma rays. This type of radiation can travel through empty space, which is a property that distinguishes it from other types of wave-based energy, such as sound waves which require a medium to travel through.
The wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is the distance between successive peaks or troughs in a wave. It is usually denoted by the Greek letter lambda (λ).
Frequency, denoted by the Greek letter nu (ν), is the number of waves that pass a given point in one second. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz) and is inversely proportional to wavelength.
A quantum is the smallest quantity of energy that can be emitted or absorbed as electromagnetic radiation. This concept is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics, which describes the behavior of particles at the atomic level.
A photon is a particle representing a quantum of light or other electromagnetic radiation. A photon carries energy proportional to the radiation frequency but has zero rest mass.