Does Electromagnetic Radiation Contain Photons?

AI Thread Summary
Electromagnetic radiation is fundamentally composed of photons, which serve as a precise mathematical description of the phenomenon, particularly relevant in quantum mechanics. This understanding highlights the complexity and varying contexts in which electromagnetic radiation can be analyzed. While geometric optics provides a broader perspective, the photon model captures finer scale effects. The consensus in the discussion affirms that every form of electromagnetic radiation indeed consists of photons. Thus, the relationship between electromagnetic radiation and photons is essential in understanding the nature of light and its interactions.
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does every electromagnetic radiation consist of photon?
 
Science news on Phys.org
yes

Dave
 
usually
 
technician said:
usually

Meaning?
 
Yes

There are often many mathematical descriptions of a single phenomena in physics, depending on the scale, complexity, context, etc. A photon is a mathematical description that teases out some of the finer scale effects noticeable at the scales dealt with in quantum mechanics. It's a more careful description of electromagnetic radiation than what you might find in geometric optics for instance. So yes, all EM radiation consists of photons.
 

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