Determine the rate of emission of quanta from the station

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem involving a radio station operating at a frequency of 103.7 MHz with a power output of 200 kW. Participants are tasked with determining the rate of emission of quanta and calculating the number of photons in a specific volume at a distance from the source.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss calculating the energy of a photon to determine the rate of emission of quanta. There are attempts to relate power output to photon density and intensity. Questions arise regarding the methodology for calculating the number of photons in a defined volume and the definitions of energy density and photon density.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on the relationship between intensity, energy density, and photon density. There is acknowledgment of correct reasoning in the calculations, but also a request for clarification on specific calculations related to energy density.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of a homework assignment, which may limit the information available and the methods that can be employed. There is an emphasis on understanding the concepts rather than arriving at a final answer.

queenstudy
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Homework Statement



A radio station operates at a frequency 103.7MHz with a power output of 200kW.
1)Determine the rate of emission of quanta from the station.
2)If we treat the radio station as a point source radiatng uniformly in all directions, find the number of photons inside a cubical radio 20cm on a side located 15km away from the radio station

Homework Equations




The Attempt at a Solution


1) i solved it by finding the energy of one photon and then N/t= 200000/Energy of one photon =2.91 *10^30 quanta/s
2) I thought that the power i have should be multiplied by 4∏d^2 / a^2 where a is the side of the radio and d is the distance from the source to the radio box and then i have the time needed to reach the dario which is d/c so the number of photons is to be 2.75*10^10 photons but it didnt please help
 
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queenstudy said:

Homework Statement



A radio station operates at a frequency 103.7MHz with a power output of 200kW.
1)Determine the rate of emission of quanta from the station.

1) i solved it by finding the energy of one photon and then N/t= 200000/Energy of one photon =2.91 *10^30 quanta/s
Didn't check your math, but the argument is correct.

2)If we treat the radio station as a point source radiatng uniformly in all directions, find the number of photons inside a cubical radio 20cm on a side located 15km away from the radio station

2) I thought that the power i have should be multiplied by 4∏d^2 / a^2 where a is the side of the radio and d is the distance from the source to the radio box and then i have the time needed to reach the dario which is d/c so the number of photons is to be 2.75*10^10 photons but it didnt please help
Not sure how did you get the "size of the radio". But dividing the power by the area of the sphere of radius d, you get power per area (Intensity):
[itex]I = P/A[/itex]
Intensity is related to energy density [itex]u[/itex] (energy per volume) and speed [itex]v[/itex] of photon by:
[itex]I = u v[/itex]
From energy density, you can calculate photon density. Then using the volume of the radio, you can compute the number of photons. I got 2.74e10 photons.
 
that is the exact answer thank you mathfeel
 
mathfeel said:
Didn't check your math, but the argument is correct.


Not sure how did you get the "size of the radio". But dividing the power by the area of the sphere of radius d, you get power per area (Intensity):
[itex]I = P/A[/itex]
Intensity is related to energy density [itex]u[/itex] (energy per volume) and speed [itex]v[/itex] of photon by:
[itex]I = u v[/itex]
From energy density, you can calculate photon density. Then using the volume of the radio, you can compute the number of photons. I got 2.74e10 photons.

can you tell me how did you calculate the energy density and photon density?
 
queenstudy said:
can you tell me how did you calculate the energy density and photon density?

In my reply #2, I gave two definitions of the same quantity I. By equating them, you can compute u.

u is energy / volume. You also know how much energy is in each photon. So you can get photon / volume.
 
thank you very much i now understand it , the good thing is learning a new concept called photon density
 

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