Photon Theory

of Light
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Background
Information
 One of the important
human senses is the sense of
sight. With your sense of sight,
you can see how beautiful this
world is. More so, almost all your
activities are dependent on your
ability to see. But what really
makes you see things aside from
your sense of sight? Well, it is the
visible light that makes you see
things around you. Nonetheless,
there is more to light than meets
the eye.
 At the beginning of 20th century, scientists
began doubting the wavelike nature of light.
They had found pieces of evidence suggesting
that light was not really a wave, but more like a
particle. In 1900, Max Planck introduced his
postulates to explain blackbody radiation. A
blackbody is a surface or object that can absorb
all radiation falling on it. Planck suggested that
energy comes in discrete units called quanta.
 Theory of Quantum

https://youtu.be/YtVBoH1VEXc
 Now, when you speak of energy being
quantized, it means that it does not exist
through a continuous range of amounts,
but as “something whole.” Stairways,
chairs, and tables are examples of
quantized objects-it is not possible for
these objects to have half values. You do
not say ½ (one-half) chair, instead you
say one chair.
 Scientists started to question the wave-like
nature of light upon the discovery of the
photoelectric effect. The photoelectric effect is a
phenomenon which describes the way electrons are
excited and emitted from matter when they absorb
the energy from light. For a while, scientists believed
that the electrons were just absorbing the energy in
the light wave, and then using that energy to jump
out of the metal. The greater energy the electrons
could absorb, the greater energy they could use to
jump out.
 Photoelectric Effect
https://youtu.be/hHfDFNeUDVs
 Photon
What physicists refer to as photons,
other people might just call light. As
quanta of light, photons are the smallest
possible packets of electromagnetic
energy. If you are reading this article on
a screen or a page, streams of photons
are carrying the images of the words to
your eyes.
 Photon
● Used for more than just illumination.
● “They’re ubiquitous,” -Richard Ruiz, a research
associate at the Institute of Nuclear Physics in
Krakow, Poland,
● “Photons are everywhere in particle physics,
so you almost forget about them.”
● The photon has fueled centuries of discovery,
and it remains an important tool today.
 Photon
● Used for more than just illumination.
● “They’re ubiquitous,” -Richard Ruiz, a research
associate at the Institute of Nuclear Physics in
Krakow, Poland,
● “Photons are everywhere in particle physics,
so you almost forget about them.”
● The photon has fueled centuries of discovery,
and it remains an important tool today.
 Photon The0ry of Light
The photon theory of light is a fundamental
concept in physics that describes light as a stream of
particles called photons. Here's a simplified explanation
of the photon theory of light:
1. Light as Particle: According to the photon theory,
light can be thought of as tiny packets of energy called
photons. Each photon behaves like a particle, carrying a
discrete amount of energy.
 Photon Theory of Light
2. Quantized Energy: The energy carried by a photon is
directly proportional to the frequency of the light wave it
represents. Higher frequencies correspond to higher energy
photons.
3. Wave-Particle Duality: Although light is described as
particles (photons), it also exhibits wave-like properties.
This wave-particle duality means that light can behave both
as a particle and as a wave, depending on how it is
observed or measured.
 Photon Theory of Light
4. Electromagnetic Waves: Light waves are a form of
electromagnetic waves. These waves consist of
oscillating electric and magnetic fields that travel
through space at the speed of light.
5. Emission and Absorption: When atoms or molecules
gain or lose energy, they can emit or absorb photons.
Emitting a photon releases energy, while absorbing a
photon adds energy to the system.
 Photon Theory of Light
6. Photons and Colors: Different colors of light
correspond to photons with different frequencies and
energies. For example, red light has a lower frequency
and energy compared to blue light.
7. Photons and Interactions: Photons can interact with
matter in various ways. When a photon encounters an
object, it can be absorbed, reflected, or transmitted
depending on the properties of the material.
 Photon Theory of Light
8. Photons and Photons: Photons can also interact with
other photons. They can interfere with each other, leading
to phenomena such as diffraction and interference
patterns.
Overall, the photon theory of light explains how light
behaves both as a wave and a particle, with photons
carrying energy and interacting with matter. It provides a
framework for understanding the fundamental nature of
light and its interactions in the universe.
 Red Light in Photographic Dark Rooms

Photographers have used red light in the darkroom for

decades, dating back to the days of film photography.
When developing film in a dark room with a red light, it
allows for a greater range of contrast that can't be
achieved with white or blue light. This is because the red
light is the least energetic and of the lowest frequency,
and therefore does not cause a reaction with the
chemicals used to develop the film.
 Red Light in Photographic Dark Rooms
The red light used in a darkroom is often
referred to as a 'safe' light because it does
not cause any damage to the exposed film
when it is being handled and processed. In
contrast, blue and white light can cause a
reaction with the chemicals used in
developing and cause the film to fog or
stain.
 Red Light in Photographic Dark Rooms
When using red light in the photographic darkroom
the frequency and energy are both lower. The low
frequency helps to ensure that the film will not be
overexposed while the light is still potent enough to see
what is happening in the darkroom.
The frequency of a wave is inversely proportional
to its wavelength. That means that waves with a high
frequency have a short wavelength, while waves with a
low frequency have a longer wavelength.
Red Light in Photographic Dark Rooms
 UV vs Visible Light
Each photon has a certain
wavelength --- photons having
shorter wavelengths (such as those
of UV) have a higher energy as
compared with photons having
longer wavelengths (such as those
of visible light). Since ultraviolet
(UV) light has shorter wavelength
than visible light, it is therefore
more damaging to your skin.
How Do We See Colors?
 How Do We See Colors?
The colors which give much delight are brought about by
visible light which is just a small portion of the EM spectrum.
Among the waves in the EM spectrum, only the visible light can
be detected by the human eyes. Visible light waves consist of
various wavelengths, and these various wavelengths correspond
to various colors as well. The wavelengths range from 700 nm at
the red end of the spectrum to 400 nm at the violet end. The
white light which is described as a polychromatic light contains
all wavelengths, thus, it also has all the colors of the rainbow.
 How Do We See Colors?
Different colors can be perceived because some colors are
absorbed by objects, while other colors are reflected or
transmitted. The wavelengths that are reflected or
transmitted are the colors that you can see. This means
that red flowers absorb violet and reflect red. This also
indicates that there is no energy step between levels in
the receptor molecule equal to the red photon’s energy,
but there is an energy step for the violet.
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