Does a photon have energy density?

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of energy density in relation to photons. It is mentioned that a photon has energy density and can travel through time but not space. The physical size of elementary particles is uncertain and there is a discussion about calculating the separation between photons in a stream of light. The conversation also touches on the idea of a photon as a probability function and its wavelength.
  • #1
pliu123123
43
0
Does a photon have energy density??

can anyone help me what a photon behaves when talking about energy density?
it seems that photon just travel through time but not space ,or I am wrong?
can anyone help? thanks so much~~
 
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  • #2


yes a photon has energy density.

Don't understand the first part of your question: Are you sure you mean energy density??
See here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density#Energy_density_of_electric_and_magnetic_fields

for the energy density of an electromagnetic field.

Since a photon is a probability function and perhaps also viewed as a point particle, "energy density" doesn't have a lot of value ...No one knows the physical size of any elementary particles...it's "uncertain"...

Have you thought about light (on form of photons) traveling from the sun to the earth??
Light travels to us here on Earth over a period of minutes at an observed velocity close to "c".
 
  • #5


Naty1 said:
Since a photon is a probability function and perhaps also viewed as a point particle, "energy density" doesn't have a lot of value ...No one knows the physical size of any elementary particles...it's "uncertain"...

I am wondering how a point like particle can have a wavelength. Wavelength implies spatial extension.

Best wishes

DaTario
 

1. What is a photon?

A photon is a fundamental particle of light that carries energy and has no mass. It is the basic unit of all forms of electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, radio waves, and X-rays.

2. Does a photon have energy?

Yes, a photon does have energy. In fact, the energy of a photon is directly proportional to its frequency or inversely proportional to its wavelength. This relationship is described by the equation E=hf, where E is energy, h is Planck's constant, and f is frequency.

3. How is the energy of a photon measured?

The energy of a photon can be measured using a device called a spectrometer. This instrument separates different wavelengths of light and measures the intensity of each wavelength. The energy of a photon is then calculated using the relationship mentioned above.

4. What is energy density?

Energy density is a measure of the amount of energy per unit volume of a substance. It is often used to describe the concentration of energy in a given space. In the case of photons, energy density can be calculated by dividing the energy of a photon by the volume it occupies.

5. Does the energy density of a photon change?

No, the energy density of a photon does not change. Since photons have no mass, they do not take up any physical space and therefore their energy density remains constant. However, the number of photons in a given space can change, which can affect the overall energy density of that space.

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