Note that the energy of the photon is inversely proportional to wavelength, and directly proportional to frequency.The quantity h is called Planck’s constant, with a value of h = 6.626 × 10G34 J s.Work by Max Planck and Albert Einstein during the years 1900-1910 showed that light is generated as a stream of particles, called photons, whose energy is given by the Einstein equation:.Ultra violet (UV) and Infra red (IR) are two of several other regions.The eye sees only a small fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum, the Visible region, which has wavelengths ranging from 400-700 nm.The speed of light, c, the speed at which a light wave moves through space is a constant, 2.998 × 108 m sG1.
A frequency of one Hertz, Hz, is one cycle per second.The number of cycles that pass a given point in unit time is the frequency, ν, of the wave.Light travels through space as a wave the wavelength, λ, is the distance between successive crests or troughs.Light, Photon Energies and Atomic Spectra Recall that we have already used these positions can also be used to predict sizes of atoms and their tendencies to gain or lose electrons.The electron configuration (the actual arrangement of the electrons) of an element can be determined from its position on the Periodic Table.As we look at the arrangements of electrons in atoms, we are paying special attention to: 1) the relative energies of the electronsĢ) the spatial locations of the electrons.
