How does the wavelength of light affect its energy?

The energy of light is inversely proportional to its wavelength; shorter wavelengths have higher energy and vice versa.

In the realm of physics, light is considered as both a particle and a wave. This dual nature of light is explained by the wave-particle duality theory. When we talk about the energy of light, we refer to it in terms of its particle nature, i.e., photons. Each photon carries a certain amount of energy, which is determined by its wavelength.

The relationship between the energy of a photon and its wavelength is given by the equation E = hc/λ, where E is the energy, h is Planck's constant, c is the speed of light, and λ is the wavelength. This equation shows that the energy of a photon is inversely proportional to its wavelength. This means that as the wavelength of light increases, its energy decreases, and vice versa.

For example, blue light has a shorter wavelength than red light. According to the equation, this means that blue light photons carry more energy than red light photons. This is why ultraviolet light, which has even shorter wavelengths than visible light, can cause sunburn. Its photons carry enough energy to damage skin cells.

In summary, the wavelength of light is a crucial factor in determining its energy. Understanding this relationship is fundamental in many areas of physics and engineering, including quantum mechanics, photonics, and the design of solar cells and other optoelectronic devices.