Amplitude - photon correspondence

In summary, the speaker has a question about the correlation between the number of photons emitted by a laser pointer and the strength of its battery. They also mention a possible relationship between the number of photons and the amplitude of the light wave. They ask if there is a specific amount of amplitude per photon and suggest making an estimate using the energy of the wave and the energy of one photon.
  • #1
ComputerPsi
24
0
Hello,

I've got a number of questions about physics. None of my physics friends have given me clearly defined answers, so I thought maybe asking here.
For now, I'll just ask one simple question.

So, if I have a laser pointer, which has a weak battery, it will shine with less number of photons than if I had a strong battery. Correct? The only difference, with a strong battery, would be more photons. Correct?
If you look at the laser pointer's electromagnetic light wave the change you would see, with the stronger battery, is that the amplitude of the wave increased.

If this is the case, then there is a correspondence between the number of photons, and the amplitude of the light wave.
Meaning that each photo corresponds to a specific amount of amplitude.
Do you know what this specific amount of amplitude per photon?

Thank you,
Veniamin
 
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  • #2
You can make a rough estimate.

Take the energy in the wave, call it W (it should be proportional to the square of the electric field E), and then take the energy of one photon = hf, and divide the two: W/hf.
 

What is the amplitude-photon correspondence?

The amplitude-photon correspondence is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics that describes the relationship between the amplitude of a wave and the number of photons in a given system.

How does the amplitude-photon correspondence work?

According to quantum mechanics, particles like photons can also exhibit wave-like behavior. The amplitude of a wave can be thought of as the probability of finding a photon at a specific location. The higher the amplitude, the higher the probability of finding a photon at that location.

Why is the amplitude-photon correspondence important?

The amplitude-photon correspondence is important because it helps us understand the behavior of light and other particles at the quantum level. It also provides a way to calculate the probability of finding a particle in a particular state, which is essential for many applications in quantum mechanics.

What is the difference between amplitude and intensity in the context of the amplitude-photon correspondence?

Amplitude refers to the height or strength of a wave, while intensity is a measure of the energy carried by the wave. In the context of the amplitude-photon correspondence, amplitude corresponds to the probability of a photon existing at a certain location, while intensity corresponds to the number of photons present in a given system.

How does the amplitude-photon correspondence relate to the wave-particle duality of light?

The amplitude-photon correspondence is closely related to the wave-particle duality of light. It explains how light, which can behave like a wave, is also made up of discrete particles (photons) that have both wave and particle properties. The amplitude of a wave corresponds to the probability of finding a photon, while the particle nature of light is represented by the discrete packets of energy carried by the photons.

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