How would you describe what a photon is?

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Monkeymia
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Photon
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the question of how to describe a photon, exploring its nature and properties in the context of electromagnetic energy and light behavior. Participants provide various interpretations and explanations, touching on both conceptual and technical aspects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes a photon as a "quanta (package) of electromagnetic energy."
  • Another participant suggests that light exhibits properties of rays during travel and interacts with obstructions through particle theory, referring to photons.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present differing descriptions and interpretations of what a photon is, indicating that multiple views remain without a consensus.

Contextual Notes

Some explanations may depend on specific definitions of terms like "quanta" and "particle theory," which are not fully elaborated in the discussion.

Monkeymia
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
In laymans terms, How would you describe what a photon is?[?]
 
Science news on Phys.org
I would probably describe it as a Quanta (package) of electromagentic energy.
 
Thank-you Jimmy
 
thats ok...as long as you ignore the spelling of 'electromagnetic'
 
Okay here is another ver.

When a light travels it has properties of rays and whenever it interacts with some obstructions etc we explain it with particle theory of light i.e. photons
 

Similar threads

High School What Keeps Photons Traveling Across the Galaxy?
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
Undergrad Stimulated Emission & Emitted photon direction
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
High School A cone of photons from one (of many seen objects) hits the retina....
  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
3K
Undergrad Coherent two-photon lidar...does this mean lidar range is greater?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Graduate Photon Polarization: Questions & Answers
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
10K
High School How far do photons travel inside common lasers?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Graduate Can a photon attract another photon?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
8K
High School I still don't understand the propagation of light
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
High School How is a Photon being created?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
5K
Graduate Photon wavelengths and frequencies
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
1K