Show that the energy \(E\) in eV of a photon is given by \(E=1.241 \times 10^{-6} \mathrm{eV} \cdot \mathrm{m} / \lambda, \quad\) where \(\lambda\) is its wavelength in meters.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The rearranged equation \(E = 1.241 × 10^{-6} eV.m/λ\) matches the given formula, confirming the relationship between the energy of a photon and its wavelength.

Step by step solution

01

Base Equation

First, start off with the original Planck's equation, which relates the energy of a photon to its frequency. Planck's equation is given by \(E=h \cdot f\), where \(E\) refers to the energy, \(h\) is Planck's constant \((6.62607015 × 10^{-34} \, \mathrm{m}^2\mathrm{kg} / \mathrm{s})\), and \(f\) is the frequency of the photon.
02

Substituting Frequency with Wavelength

In optics, the frequency \(f\) of a wave is inversely related to its wavelength \(λ\), linking them through the speed of light \(c\). This relationship is expressed as \(f=c / λ\). Substituting this into Planck's equation gives \(E = h \cdot c / λ \).
03

Converting units

Next, convert the units of the energy \(E\) in joules to electron volts. 1 electron volt is approximately \(1.602176634 × 10^{-19}\) joules. Therefore, \(E = (h \cdot c / λ) / 1.60217663 \times 10^{−19}\) eV.
04

Simplification

Substitute the known values for Planck's constant \(h = 6.62607015 × 10^{-34} \mathrm{m}^2\mathrm{kg}/\mathrm{s}\), speed of light \(c = 2.998 × 10^8 \, \mathrm{m/s}\), and 1 electron volt in joules \(1.602176634 × 10^{-19}\) into the equation. This simplifies to approximately \(E = 1.241 × 10^{-6}\) eV.m/λ. Verify this matches with the given formula.

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